Dirty Paws
by zabbygirl
Summary: I curled up closer to her, she smelled so sweet and she was so warm. She looked so beautiful in the moonlight, it pooled around her and reflected off of the snow, causing it to look as if the ground was sparkling just for her. May become rated M later.
1. First Hunt

**Disclaimer: I do not own NCIS, nor do I own any of its characters.**

**I have had this idea for a while.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

"Ziva, come on Ziva, we have to go patrol the edges of our territory," Tony said nudging me.

"Brownfur never gives us a break does he?" I asked Tony as I let out a huge yawn.

Brownfur was our alpha, his given name was Leon, but his warrior name was Brownfur. Our given name was the name our mother gave us, our warrior name was the name our alpha's gave us. We have both names from the moment we are born, only our friends and family are aloud to call us by our given names other wise it was considered disrespectful.

"Come on, we got to go," Tony said as he used his back paw to itch the back of his ear.

"I am coming Tony," I said finally standing on all four paws and walking out of the den.

Tony's warrior name was Handsomedevil on account of his charmingly good looks, it was no lie to say that he was handsome, but I had never felt that way about him, and I think that is why he hangs out with me because I was the only other girl who didn't fawn all over him.

Tony was a light brown with darker brown spots all over in different area, he had dark green eyes and his right eye had a dark brown spot on and around it, he was an average sized male wolf, and his hair was very scraggly. I on the other hand, was dark brown, with darker brown ears, and dark brown eyes, and I was the average size for a female wolf.

"Tony, Ziva, wait up," I heard Abby call.

We stood still while we waited for the small she-wolf to catch up with us. Abby was the pack's sight, which meant that she read all of the signs and visions meant for our pack from our ancestors, it also meant that she helped the pack healer, Ducky or Duckfeathers and his trainee Oddpaw or Palmer, alpha named Duckfeathers on the account of his soft fur and his bright sandy colored fur color, he named Palmer Oddpaw because he had one green eye and one blue eye and only his front left paw was a bright brown while the rest of him was a normal brown.

Abby's warrior name was Angelstep and her given name was Abigail, but she liked to be called Abby instead, she had bright green eyes, black fur, with white paws, white ear tips, white tail tip, and light silver stripes down her back, her fur was soft and sleek, and she was the most beautiful wolf in all of the pack, at least to me she was.

"Greetings Abigail," I said when she caught up to us.

Abby playfully lunged for me and grabbed onto the tip of my ear, causing me to have to duck under her while she held onto my ear.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that," she mock growled.

"Alright I am sorry Angelstep, please let go," I said jokingly.

She let go, but started to pout at the fact that I called her Angelstep.

"Oh come on Abby, you know I was just messing with you," I said smiling at her.

"Yes I know," Abby said quickly smiling. "Oh yeah I forgot to tell you guys, I get to come on patrol with you guys so I can pick up some herbs for Ducky and Palmer," she said as she leaned from one side to the other.

"Welcome aboard Abby," Tony said. Let me go get Gibbs and tell him we're ready to go," Tony said before running of to get the bright silver wolf. Gibbs was very sly and he could get all the information he needed out of you, just by looking at you with his icy blue gaze, hence his warrior name, Silverfox.

"So Abby, did you sleep well?" I asked her.

"No actually I didn't," Abby said.

"Why not," I asked her feeling quite concerned for my crush.

"Some of the male wolves won't leave me alone," Abby said with a yawn.

"Which ones?" I growled feeling quite angered that some wolves were messing with my Abigail.

Abby opened her mouth to answer when Tony and Gibbs came running up to us.

"Ready to go?" Gibbs asked gruffly.

"Yes," I said.

"Yep," Abby replied.

* * *

"So Abby, who were these wolves that you were talking about?" I asked her as she searched around the edge of our territory for her herbs.

"No one important," she sighed.

"Abigail, this isn't funny tell me and Tony and I will make sure they never mess with you again," I growled.

"Who are we taking care of and why now?" Tony said coming into our conversation.

"Some male wolves have been messing with Abby and they haven't been allowing her to sleep," I growled and Tony growled with me when he heard this.

"Who is it Abby, I swear I'll beat them to a pulp," Tony growled.

"Its no one, gosh you guys do know that I can take care of myself right," Abby said.

"Of course you can, but we care about you Abby, it is our job to want to beat anyone who messes with you," I said brushing my fur against hers.

I almost curled my tail around hers like mates do, but I was not her mate, I couldn't wrap my tail around hers, I didn't even know how Abby felt about me.

"I know Ziva and I care about you too, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't going weak in you minds," Abby whimpered and my heart almost broke with that.

I remembered the day Abby came to the pack, we didn't know where her parents were and no one ever claimed her, but someone had left Abby in the freezing snow on our territory. She was adopted by Gibbs and his mate Jenny or Blazefur. Abby never either didn't remember who her parents were or she just told people that to stop talking about them. Abby was always picked on as a pup for not being born in the pack, she didn't have any true family in the pack so she was very insecure, she always seemed to think that Tony and I would turn from her just as every one in her life besides us, her adoptive parents, Ducky and Palmer, had done.

"You would never go weak in my mind Abigail," I whispered into her ear as we walked.

She smiled when I said that, suddenly though her smile got much bigger, then she took off ahead of me.

"Abby?" I called to her there was no use in trying to race after her, Abby was the fastest wolf in all of the pack, I never understood why she became a sight for that reason alone. She would have made a wonderful normal. Normals were, well they were all the normal wolves, the ones who protected and defended the pack as well as brought in food for the pack.

"I found some herbs Ziva?" she called back excitedly.

"Can you help me carry some back?" she asked

"Of course," I answered taking the bitter herbs that she asked me to take.

* * *

"Come on Ziva, we have to take these herbs to Ducky's den," Abby said racing off to the said wolf's den.

"I'm coming Abby," I called around the herbs and racing off after her.

"Ducky," Abby called when she had placed the herbs down at the front of his den.

"Hello my dear girls," said the elderly wolf as he came up and grabbed most of the herbs and brought them somewhere into the back of his den then returned to get the rest of the herbs, "That will be all girls, thank you," Ducky said.

"Abby, would you like to go hunt with me?" I asked her nervously.

"I would like that very much Ziva, as long as its not all hunt like it is with those other normals," Abby explained.

"You've gone on other hunts, with other wolves, as in dates?" I asked nervously.

"Yes, but don't worry they were nothing big and I never truly liked the wolves I went with. I don't worry about this one though. I think this one will be a good date," Abby said as we exited the camp.

"So this is a date?" I asked hopefully.

"Isn't it? I mean it doesn't have to be if you weren't asking me that," Abby said in a slightly disappointed tone.

"No that is exactly what I was asking," I said to her as we walked out into the woods.


	2. Whispers

**I got some good responses so I decide to continue this story.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

_"Isn't it? I mean it doesn't have to be if you weren't asking me that," Abby said in a slightly disappointed tone._

_"No that is exactly what I was asking," I said to her as we walked out into the woods._

"Perfect," she said with a smile.

We walked in the woods for a while side by side, our fur brushing, sneaking glances at each other and getting caught most of the time, our tails brushed against the others, but neither of us made the move to curl it around the others.

Suddenly Abby stopped and sniffed the air, her tail curled into its natural state and her ears perked up.

Abby's tail was naturally curled into a spiral that was tight against her back, but because of her good looks, she was stared at by most of the males and some of the females when she became old enough to have a mate, also when she first joined the pack, she was picked on for this trait since none of the others in the pack had a curled tail, so with time she learned to keep her tail straight like any other dogs, I loved to see it in its natural state though, not only did it give me a good sight, but it also meant she trusted me enough to be herself around me.

"What is it Abby, what do you smell?" I asked. I knew I could smell the air as well and find out, but I wanted to give her a chance to show off, she rarely got to hunt for herself, she usually had some male or female bringing her food in a chance of getting lucky, or she would wait until the pack ate together.

"It's a rabbit," she said.

"Where?" I asked quickly.

"Over in the snow bank, do you want to get it or shall I?" she asked turning her bright green gaze onto me.

"How about we work together, I chase it out and you make the kill?" I asked knowing it would please her to be a part of the hunt, but that she would never say that she wished to hunt.

Abby loved being a sight, but she liked hunting and fighting, she hadn't always been on the path to being a sight, she had once trained with the rest of us to be a normal when she was just starting out, but she very quickly was attracted to the call of being the pack sight. Her mentor Kate or Cherryblossom had been murdered in battle a year after Abby started to train as a sight and Abby was crushed. Ari or Oakbranch also known as my brother soon died of a broken heart after his mate, Kate died, but not before tracking down and murdering the man who had killed Kate.

"Alright then lets do it," she said moving into place and watching me disappear behind the snow bank.

I quickly located the whole in the back of the burrow that the rabbit would try to escape though normally.

I dug the whole out a bit so it was large enough for me to fit into, inside of the burrow was much bigger, I squirmed my way through until I came about a foot away from the sleeping rabbit, I took in a big breath and let it out with a loud bark.

Quickly the rabbit took off in the other direction where I knew Abby would be waiting, I quickly followed in pursuit, I did not want to miss this.

I got out a few moments after the rabbit did, just in time to see it run straight at her then in another direction, Abby quickly followed in pursuit.

I often wondered if her height had something to do with her speed, she was small for a female wolf and once again a lot of wolves found this as a weakness and picked on her for it.

Abby quickly grabbed the rabbit and broke its neck.

"Good catch Abby," I called trotting over to her.

"Thanks Ziva," she said with a pleased look on her face.

We ate in silence and after we ate we began to groom ourselves.

I was currently grooming one of my paws when I felt Abby lean over and lick my cheek, immediately I froze. I sat there for a moment, trying to figure out if this was a dream or not.

"Ziva are you alright?" Abby asked as she pulled back.

"Yes, you just surprised me, that is all," I said looking at her, I didn't understand how she had cleaned her face so quickly.

"Oh," she said with a disappointed face she quickly looked away and refused to look at me.

"Abigail, did I say something wrong?" I asked quite concerned for her.

"No, I just thought," she didn't finish her sentence.

"You thought what?" I asked getting more concerned by the second.

"Nothing I just had the wrong idea," she said and I could tell that she was close to crying.

"Abigail, please do not cry, it hurts me more than you think," I whined at her.

She looked back at me suddenly with a flicker of hope in her eyes and I didn't understand why.

"Are you alright Abigail?" I asked her.

Suddenly she lurched forward and grabbed my ear again, "Ziva," she growled, "How many times do I have to tell you, not to call me that?" she continued to mock growl.

"I don't know Abigail, how many times do you have to tell me that," I said before slipping out of her loose grip and running a short distance away before turning back to her playfully.

She ran after me, but didn't catch me for a while and I knew she could catch me whenever she wanted to, I was no match for her speed.

Finally, she tackled me into the snow, we playfully wrestled for a little bit before she pinned me to the ground, we laid there for a little bit, laughing at the snow in our fur and just laughing at how silly we were being.

Our laughter died out and we just looked into each other's eyes. Slowly Abby leaned down and licked the side fur of my face, my face felt very hot and I was suddenly very happy that I had dark brown instead of white fur, or bright fur in general.

"Abby," I whispered when she pulled back and looked me in the eyes, I loved looking into her sparkling, bright, green eyes.

She leaned down and pressed her nose into my shoulder fur and I did the same. We stayed like that for a while until we heard someone on a hunting party making there way towards us. Quickly we untangled ourselves from one another and stood up.

"Abby, Ziva, is that you?" we both let out a sigh when we quickly recognized Tony's voice.

"Yes, it is us Tony," I called to him.

"Come on we were heading back to camp, you can come with us," Tony said turning around.

"Hello Abigail," a female with dark grey fur and yellow eyes said.

"Its Abby, but you can call me Angelstep," Abby said in a way that was polite, but also very cold.

I quickly stepped in between Abby and this opposing female.

* * *

"Thank you Ziva, for everything," Abby said to me as we walked back to her den.

"It was my pleasure Abby," I replied smiling back at her.

We stopped in front of her den, "Well Abigail, I must stop here, I have to get some wrest, so good night, I will see you tomorrow," I said as I turned around, I almost walked off, but right at that moment, I heard someone howl then say, "Hey sweetheart why don't you step this way angel," they called at Abby. I quickly turned around and jumped in front of her.

"Is that you the best you can come up with Michael," I growled at him.

Michael had always bothered Abby by hitting on her and making hints at her ever since we were all pups.

"Its Darkheart to you Ottersplash, and I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to Abby," he growled at me as he walked toward us.

We both got lower to the ground and both of our growls got louder.

"How dare you use her given name, you are nothing to her," I growled at him.

"I am much more to her then you are," he growled back.

I was about to lunge at him when Abby stepped between us.

"Alright will you too knock it off," Abby growled.

"I'm sorry Abby, but I was simply complementing you, when this bitch had to step into business that was not her?" he looked at me and growled the last part.

"First of all, its angel step. Second of all, she is not a bitch and third, you were not complimenting me, you lamely hitting on me," she said curling her tail around the back of me in a way that would cause me to walk in whatever way she did.

She walked me back to her den and brought us both inside the cave.

"Will you stay in here and sleep next to me, if you don't they will keep coming back and bothering me if you don't?" she asked.

"Of course Abby," I said to her with a smile.

I looked to her nest and saw it was covered in snow, I went to uncover it, but she stopped me.

"Don't, I want an excuse to cuddle with you," she said with a smirk.

* * *

I lay next to the now sleeping Abigail. I shivered a little bit, there was a whole in her roof that let in the cold air, the moonlight, and the snow that landed just in the little area that she laid in.

I shivered again, finally I made my decision. I curled up closer to her, she smelled so sweet and she was so warm and she looked so beautiful in the moonlight, it pooled around her and reflected off of the snow in her bedding, causing it to look as if the ground was sparkling just for her.

I curled up even closer and pressed my nose into her warm, soft, and sweet smelling fur.

"I love you Abigail, I promise to never let those big bad wolves that bother you so much hurt you," I whispered into her fur.


	3. Thunderstorms

**Again I got more good responses for my last chapter, so as a thank you here is another chapter.**

**Disclaimer: Hyperdemon and Quickthinking do not belong to me, Hyperdemon belongs to StaightJacket xD and Quickthinking belongs to our friend Sarah, the only thing that belongs to me in this story is the idea and Mudstep.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

_I curled up even closer and pressed my nose into her warm, soft, and sweet smelling fur. _

_"I love you Abigail, I promise to never let those big bad wolves that bother you so much hurt you," I whispered into her fur._

* * *

"Ziva," I heard Abby whisper and I realized her warmth was no longer near me. I squirmed around without opening my eyes, searching for her sweet, sweet, warmth. Finally I gave up with a pout, I still didn't open my eyes though.

"Ziva," Abby whispered again as she prodded me with her paw.

I opened my eyes to see her wide, curious, green eyes, sparkling down on me.

I looked around to see that it was still dark outside.

"What is it Abby?" I asked in a confused voice.

Abby looked embarrassed and she wouldn't look me in the eyes, in fact she turned her head away from me to study her den wall.

I placed my paw on hers and looked up at her, "What is it Abby?" I asked in concern.

She looked around for a moment, then she turned her head back to look at her den wall, then she mumbled something that I couldn't hear.

"What?" I asked clearly confused.

"I have to pee," she said a little louder.

I laughed at this, but then I saw her eyes fill up with tears.

"Why is this a problem?" I asked her as I got up from lying down and sitting close to her.

"I don't like the don't like thunderstorms," she whispered.

I opened my mouth to ask her what this had to do with the fact that she had to pee, when a loud crash of thunder rang through the night, causing her to jump and run to the back of her cave, where she laid down, covered her eyes with her paw, and curled into the smallest ball she could get into.

Suddenly I was hit by a memory of Abby curling up to Jenny during a thunderstorm, I remembered how Jenny whispered to her throughout the whole thing until it was over.

I got down as low as a submissive wolf and crawled over too her, "Abby, I will go with you if you would like," I said placing my paw over one of hers.

"You don't think its ridiculous that I'm afraid of the thunder?" she asked me taking her paws away form her face and showing me the confused look on her face.

"Of course not," I whispered to her, "I actually think its kind of cute," I continued.

Abby seemed to once again become embarrassed.

I stood up and walked to the front of her cave, when I looked back she was still lying in the back of the cave, watching me walk.

"Well do you have to pee or not?" I asked and with that she ran to my side.

We walked through the sleeping camp, when we got to the exit/entrance I allowed her to go first. Outside of the camp, Mudstep and Hyperdemon were standing guard, sleeping in the grass next to Hyperdemon was Quickthinking.

I dipped my head to the two normals as a greeting and continued to lead the quivering Abigail to somewhere more privet where she could relieve herself.

* * *

"Hey, Andi," I called to my friend.

"Yeah?" she answered from the other side of the camp entrance.

"What do you think of Angelstep and Ottersplash?" I asked her not taking my eyes off of the dark woods and trying not to jump when the thunder rolled through the sky.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I mean do you see what I see?" I said to her.

"What two attractive female wolves," she huffed.

"Damn it, Hyperdemon you know exactly what I mean, I mean do you think there is something going on between them?" I almost shouted at the pitch black wolf across from me, but I did not want to wake Sarah, nor did I want to wake the rest of the pack.

Andi laughed at me, then when Sarah squirmed a bit in her sleep she leaned down to sniff the sleeping wolf just to make sure she was alright.

"I don't know Sissy, possibly," she shrugged at me.

"Don't listen to her Sissy, she definitely thinks something is going on between them," Sarah said without opening her eyes.

Andi and I both sat straight when we heard branches rustle, both of us listened intently ready to defend our friend and our camp at a moments notice and ready to give our life for both.

"It is all right you two," I heard Silverfox say, I forced my fur to lay flat, but I did not fully relax, even when the silver wolf stepped out into the open.

"Hyperdemon, Mudstep, you are both relieved from your guard positions, you will be replaced by myself and Blazefur. Take Quickthinking with you and get some well deserved rest," Silverfox said.

With that Andi woke Sarah fully up and signaled for her to follow us.

The three of us quickly made our way to the back of the normals den where our nest were. As we made our way through the sleeping wolves and back to our place, I noticed how much Quickthinking's silver fur and white underbelly stuck out among the dark brown or black coats that lay all around. A lot of the wolves thought that she was related to Silverfox, but the three of us knew she wasn't.

We didn't associate much with other wolves, we mostly kept to ourselves, we had no one else.

We finally made it to our nest, we used each other for warmth and comfort, curling around each other, even though Andi acted as though she didn't enjoy it, both Sarah and I knew she really did.

* * *

"Well Abby, do you feel better?" I asked with a yawn as we walked back.

"A little, the thunder is still really scary though," she said just as a great bout of thunder roared from the sky.

The thunder made her jump and she pushed herself as close as she could to me with out causing me to walk sideways instead of forward.

"It is all right Abby," I cooed to the small, frightened she wolf.

We came to the entrance of the camp and we nodded our greetings to both Silverfox and Blazefur.

Once again I allowed her to go first and when I pushed my way in after her, I found that she was waiting for me on the other side.

"Hello again," she whispered to me with a smile.

She and I walked back to her den and entered just as we had earlier just without the annoying Darkheart to bother us.

She and I laid back down where we had earlier.

The thunder continued to bother her, so I settled on grooming her face and whispering comforting things to her until she fell asleep. Soon after she fell asleep I followed in a quick pursuit, to dream of a world where she loved me just as much as I loved her.


	4. Traps

**Thank you all for the wonderful feedback, I don't know why this story and New World get so many reviews and my others don't…. I am just happy I am getting so many great reviews either way.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

_The thunder continued to bother her, so I settled on grooming her face and whispering comforting things to her until she fell asleep. Soon after she fell asleep I followed in a quick pursuit, to dream of a world where she loved me just as much as I loved her._

"Abby," I heard a voice call.

"Abby," It called again and this time I opened my eyes to its call.

I found myself in a field of tall yellow grass, the ground was warm beneath my paws, I looked up to see the night sky all around me, the stars moved slowly across the sky. The wind carried a sweet scent in it and it reminded me of something I could not remember.

"Abby," The voice called from behind me.

Quickly I whipped around to see a tall, sandy colored wolf, with white splotches all over him and bright green eyes.

"Who are you?" I asked him.

"I am someone you know well, but cannot remember, but for now, you may call me, Tomas," he said walking past me, I took this as a cue to follow him.

"Why am I here Tomas?" I asked him as he lead me through the tall grass.

"I have something to tell you," he said finally stopping by a river to drink before sitting down by it.

"Please drink," he said waving his tail at the river.

I did as he requested, the water tasted sweat and I felt energy run through my body as I drank.

I sat in front of him when I finished, "What is it that you want to tell me?" I asked him.

He turned his head and looked me straight in the eyes, "You have found peace with the otter that playfully splashes about in the water, but there is a danger for someone in you pack," he said in a voice that seemed to echo.

"Who?" I asked urgently.

"You must save the mud from getting herself stuck between a demon that never sleeps and a trap set by an enemy that is rarely seen by living eyes," he continued in his echoing voice.

"What do you mean?" I asked him clearly confused.

"Go, save her," He said and as he said that I felt as I was beginning to fall. The world around me began to spin until I was plunged into black.

* * *

I began to worry when Abby began to pant in her sleep, then she started whimpering. She had woken me up just a little bit ago with all of her squirming and whimpering. Wolves were awake and about outside, but I had felt no reason to wake her up till now.

"Abby," I whispered next to her ear.

She stopped squirming for a moment and she seemed to relax for just a bit, then she started to whimper once more.

"Abigail," I whispered a little louder.

It woke her up this time, but there was panic in her light green eyes when she opened them.

"Ziva?" she whispered looking around until her eyes found me.

"It is me Abby. Were you having a nightmare?" I asked in a concerned voice.

"Yeah, I guess that is what you call it," she whispered placing her head on her paws. She looked tired and defeated.

I walked over to her and bowed my head down so that my muzzle was right next to her ear, I could tell she knew how close I was by the way her hears perked up a bit.

"Have no fear Abby, I am here," I whispered.

She looked at me out of the corner of her eye and a small smile made its way across her face.

"Thanks Ziva, for everything, I mean you didn't have to deal with me last night and you did," she explained.

"It was my pleasure Abby," I said lying down next to her.

"Ottersplash," I heard someone call from the front of her den.

I got up and trotted to the front of her cave and she followed beside me.

"Yes Hyperdemon," I answered, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Abby got a strange look on her face when I said the she-wolf's name.

"Brownfur wanted me to take a party hunting, I want you and Angelstep to come," the dark she-wolf said.

"Why do you want Angelstep to come, she is a sight not a normal?" I asked.

"Duckfeathers told me that he was low on herbs, he asked me if I could take her out with us," Hyperdemon explained.

"Alright lead the way," I said.

As we passed the normal den Hyperdemon called out to Mudstep, when she called the she-wolf's name Abby once again got a strange look over her face.

When the dark brown wolf stepped out of the den, she looked as if she had been awake all night. Her fur was ragged and her green eyes were laced over with an ill look, she looked nothing like the playful wolf that she usually was.

Quickthinking met us outside of the camp, she had been waiting for us all with plenty of excitement until she caught sight of Mudstep, then concern filled her eyes for her ill friend.

* * *

We had been walking around fallowing Andi looking for something to hunt, all I wanted to do was lie down.

I looked up to see a Andi about to walk into a tree as she usually did run into things. Something was off about this tree though, there was a circle in the ground next to it.

Finally I realized that it was a human trap.

"Andi," I yelled pushing her out of the way.

My foot broke the branch in the circle, setting off something else in the trap. The rope wrapped tight around my foot, whatever I had set off with my foot caused another rope to come down and wrap around my neck as well.

I pulled to try to get loose, but it only got tighter around my neck. It started to block air from reaching my lungs and I started to panic. I started to pull even harder and once again the rope got even tighter.

I watched as Andi and Sarah yelled options at each other trying to figure out which was the best one.

There yells fell against my deaf ears, all I could hear was the roaring of my blood in my ears.

Suddenly Angelstep said something and both of them stopped to look at her.

I pulled once more and I felt all of the air that I could get disappear.

I watched as red started painting the snow, finally I realized it was my blood, the rope had cut into my skin.

I panicked even more causing the rope to grow ever tighter.

Finally, I collapsed from the lack of air. I looked at Andi and Sarah, trying to focus on the two of them as my world started to blur.

I started to relive my life bit by bit, the mother that abandoned me and her pack, the family and friends that turned their backs on me, and finally meeting Andi and Sarah, meeting them had given me a chance not to turn into a monster.

I looked at my friends as my world turned into a blur and started to quickly black out.

I didn't want to die, but I was dying because I saved a friend, so it seemed okay to me.


	5. Revenge

**I can't take all of the credit for this chapter, my beta StraightJacket xD and our friend Sarah wrote this, I simply made a few tweaks to it to make it longer.**

* * *

_I looked at my friends as my world turned into a blur and started to quickly black out._

_I didn't want to die, but I was dying because I saved a friend, so it seemed okay to me._

* * *

As Sissy was losing consciousness, Angelstep came up with a plan, she told us all what to do, I was in so much shock I could hear her, but at the same time I could not. We moved to the tree and Ottersplash and Andi tried to create some kind of ramp for Angelstep. She jumped onto their backs and then to a low hanging branch. As quickly as she could the small she-wolf mad it to the branch the ropes were tire to.

The ropes weren't very thick so she started gnawing on the one around Sissy's neck. At this point I noticed red on the ground. It stood out against the snow and I could only assume that the ropes had cut through her skin when she had been struggling.

As the first rope snapped Sissy was left hanging by her one paw. She was just swinging as Angelstep moved onto the next rope. I started to talk to Sissy to try and keep her awake and conscious. As the second rope snapped Sissy fell to the ground and the branch sprung back a bit causing the small black she wolf on top of it to fall. I caught Andi's eyes as I grabbed Sissy by the scruff of her neck, I knew I needed to have a talk with her before she did something reckless. I would talk to her when Sissy was safe back at camp. I started to dragging the small she wolf back in the direction of the camp. Hopefully Duckfeathers would know what to do.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Ottersplash tending to Angelstep, hopefully Andi would stay with them if she wouldn't come with me.

* * *

I nuzzled at Abby for a few moments, I worried for my small love, that had been quite a fall. I knew she was awake, but she seemed dazed.

"Are you alright love?" I whispered to her.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she whispered, as she did she looked so tired and worn out.

She stood up and started to look around, confused I asked her who she was looking for.

"Quickthinking, Hyperdemon, and Mudstep, where have they gone?" she asked.

I started to look as well, but they weren't there, but I noticed drag marks on the ground that headed toward the camp.

"Perhaps they took Mudstep back to the den?" I said to her.

Abigail nodded so we followed the tracks.

We had to stop many times because of Abigail getting tired or a few deer, an occasional moose, and a mountain lion that I made note of to tell Brownfur.

Dear and moose were not particularly violent, but with Abby as weak as she was, I didn't want to take any chances.

By the time we got back to camp it was dark outside, we headed straight for Ducky and Palmers den, Ducky stood outside of his den with Gibbs.

"Have either of you seen Hyperdemon or Quickthinking?" I asked.

Gibbs turned to me before saying, "Quickthinking is inside."

Abby and I walked inside and Abby quickly spotted Quickthinking next to Mudstep's sleeping body.

We trotted over to them and I quietly whispered to her so that I would not disturb her sleeping friend, "Have you seen Hyperdemon?"

"I thought she came back with you," Quickthinking said with a scared look on her face.

"We need to find her," she said with a fearful look in her eyes.

"What's wrong," I asked as Abby began to lean against me.

"She gets extremely protective of Mudstep and I. It normally leads to bad things, the one time it didn't was when we were accepted into this pack," she said with a sniff at her sleeping friend.

"Wait you were accepted into this pack? I thought you were born here? I thought Gibbs was one of your relatives?" I said in disbelief.

"No, we were found and brought here, we later were asked if we wanted to join, but we all came from different packs, we had all left our packs. The only reason no one picks on us, is because they are afraid of Andi," she said.

"Ziva," Abby groaned and suddenly she seemed to get a lot heavier.

"Abby? What's wrong," I said. I felt the need to turn and look at her, but I could not because if I was to do that, she would fall.

"Ducky," I heard Quickthinking call without getting up, she seemed to not want to leave her friend no matter what.

* * *

"Is she alright Ducky?" I asked him as I paced the opening of Abby's den.

"Stop pacing Ziva," He said as her woke Abby up.

"She has a concusion, you need to keep her awake for the rest of day and all of tomorrow, no matter what, don't let her sleep," he said as he walked out of Abby's den and began to walk towards his own.

* * *

It had been two days since the accident, two days since Hyperdemon had disappeared. Mudstep sill had not woken up, I felt sorry for Quickthinking, the two wolves she cared about just might die, the only two things she had, could be ripped away from her.

The only thing we knew about Mudstep was that Ducky was hopeful that she would wake up soon, but he still told Quickthinking to say her goodbyes. Life was coming down hard on the poor she-wolf and I couldn't help, but think that is was not fair.

"What are you thinking about?" Abby asked from her nest.

"That poor she-wolf, I just do not think that what is happening to her is fair. Are you not supposed to be resting?" I asked her playfully, I had to keep her up all of yesterday and when Abby becomes tired she gets real mood swingy.

First she didn't want me anywhere near her because she was mad at me for not letting her sleep, then she got real clingy, she would practically lie on top of me every chance she got.

"I will sleep once you return to my side," she said with a wag of her currently curled tail.

"I am coming," I said as I trotted over to her before lying down beside her.

* * *

I lay low as I followed him. I could smell him I was so close, it was definitely the same scent. He was the only one I had seen around here, knowing that I was safe from another one interfering, I pounced.

* * *

It had been four days now since the incident with the trap and still Hyperdemon had not returned. We were all worried, but no one was more worried than Quickthinking and Mudstep, Quickthinking had stayed constantly by her friends side. Some of the wolves were taking advantage of Hyperdemon not being here by playing tricks on Quickthinking, they would tell her Hyperdemon was spotted nearby. The first time she got excited and ran outside and no one was there, now she just growls at anyone who approaches her.

Mudstep had woken up the day before, she was confused at to what was going on, no one would tell her where Hyperdemon was. She was in to much pain to actually walk anywhere so Quickthinking and I had practically carried her to the nursery den and she helped keep an eye on the pups. She spent a lot of time sharing funny stories with Quickthinking about Hyperdemon. Abby and I listened to a few, but then she would have to get back to her duties and I would have to get back to mine.

* * *

It was around noon when Tony ran in saying he had spotted Hyperdemon. Quickthinking just growled at him, she didn't believe him. I noticed Abby's nose twitch so I took a quick sniff of the air. There was a familiar scent mixed in with Hyperdemon's, Quickthinking noticed the scent as well because she darted forward, just as Hyperdemon entered the camp, Hyperdemon walked right past her. The pitch black wolf walked with a slight limp and had patches of blood in her fur. In he mouth she carried a rounded object that she dropped at Mudstep's front paws. When it rolled over we all let out a gasp at the realization that it was a human's head. That's when I recognized the smell, it was on the trap and a few of the trees in the nearby areas.

Hyperdemon walked over to the darkest corner of the nursery and curled up into a small, furry, ball. Quickthinking walked over after her and curled up with her, she lay her head over the smaller wolf and growled at anyone who approached.

Mudstep tried to get up and limp over to her friend, but she collapsed after two steps, so instead I dragged Mudstep over to them. Quickthinking growled as I approached until she realized that I was carrying Mudstep in my jaws. I laid the small she wolf next to them and she made herself comfortable in there little wolf pile. Quickthinking nodded her head in a thanks then she lay back with her friends.

I padded over to Abby, she watched me as I did.

One of the mothers started to nudge the head towards them, when suddenly Mudstep surprised everyone by lifting her head and roaring, "Get that away from us." She said it with such a power that you did not expect to come from a wolf who had almost died four days ago.

"Ziva," Abby said as she prodded me with her nose.

"Yes Abby?" I answered.

"Can you please get that out of here, dig a whole, place the head in it, and cover it up?" She asked as she started to leave, but she paused to look back at me and wait for my answer.

"Of course," I whispered my reply to her.


	6. If I Lost You

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* * *

_"Can you please get that out of here, dig a whole, place the head in it, and cover it up?" She asked as she started to leave, but she paused to look back at me and wait for my answer._

_"Of course," I whispered my reply to her._

* * *

It had been seven days since Hyperdemon had returned, I had not been able to see Abby much in those seven days, I had to be a part of many hunting parties, many border parties, and I had to stand guard of the camp a lot lately. By the time I would find my way to her den she would be sleeping, she would be out looking for herbs, she would be helping Ducky and Palmer with some sick or injured wolf, or she would be helping Mudstep grow stronger. I didn't know if she would want me in her den without inviting me first, so for the last seven days I had slept in the normal's den.

Brownfur had been making sure that we had extra parties be held because we had found a scent from the pack of Rising Stars. He had also feared that they would lead an attack on us, so he had Abby, Ducky, and Palmer all go and search for herbs. Unfortunately, Darkheart is Brownfur's beta, so I had been kept away from Abby, he was trying to get to her so that I couldn't and he was doing that by making sure that I was on every other border party and every other hunting party, as well as having me guard the camp at night for almost all of the seven nights.

I was currently lying in my nest inside of the normal's den, it was one of my few brakes that I had lately. I was completely exhausted, but then I heard a familiar voice urging a wolf to walk just a little longer and I seemed to obtain some new energy, it wasn't much, but at least I had enough to get up and go to the entrance of the den.

There I spotted Abby urging Mudstep to walk just a few more steps, the poor wolf seemed more tired than I was, she was getting stronger, but her front right paw still hadn't retained feeling, she was having a bit of trouble trying to walk normally, but Abby tried to get her to limp around camp whenever she could.

"Come on Mudstep, just a few more steps, then we can go back to the nursery," she said bouncing around the small brown wolf her tail wagging encouragingly the whole time.

"I'm tired Abby, I don't want to do this anymore," the small she-wolf whined.

"But," Abby was cutoff before she could finish by a menacing growl.

"If she wants to rest, then she will rest, that is enough for today," growled Hyperdemon, her lips were drawn back as she showed her teeth and her blue eyes glinted dangerously.

I quickly ran to Abigail's aid, getting just as low to the ground as Hyperdemon was, I growled just as dangerously and glared at the small black she-wolf.

"You should watch you mouth, show some respect, she is higher ranked than both you and I, how dare you speak to her like that," I growled.

"You can't tell me what to do," Hyperdemon growled.

"That's enough," Abby said in a deep voice as she stepped between us along with Mudstep and Quickthinking.

It shocked me when Abby used that voice and I could see that the other three wolves were affected by it to, Abby had just used what was called an 'Alpha's Voice', it was common for wolves born from an alpha would have this trait, it was the one hint about Abby's parents that we had, she was born from an alpha, it could have been her father or her mother, but that was something we would never know. Abby didn't like to use her 'Alpha's Voice', but if had to or if she felt it was necessary, she would use it.

My body along with Hyperdemon's reacted on its own, I cowered under her sharp gaze, slightly showing my underbelly, flattening my ears against my head, and wagging my tail to show my submission. Hyperdemon simply lied on the ground and flattened her ears against her head.

_"Lucky dog, why does my body have to act like this while she acts like that,"_ I thought to myself, but I knew the answer, every wolf reacted differently to the Alpha's voice, I was just lucky I didn't start licking her jaw, that would have made my affections for her known and I could only imagine the look I would get from her.

"Ziva go back to my den and wait, Hyperdemon, you go back to the nursery with Quickthinking and Mudstep and try not to cause any more trouble," she continued to say in her 'Alpha's Voice'.

Quickly the four of us did as she ordered, all the while making our submission known.

* * *

"What were you thinking? Did you not see what she did to that human? If she could do that to a human, can you even imagine what she could do to you? She could have ripped you apart just as easily!" Abby scolded me as she paced in front of me as I sat in the back of her den.

"She should have showed you more respect, you are higher ranked than the beta, she should have talked with respect, not with anger and challenge," I said defending myself.

"That is not your place to say, she could have killed you Ziva, do you understand that?" she continued to scold me.

"Quickthinking and Mudstep would stop her," I said calmly.

"And what if they didn't, what if they had felt that what she was doing was justice," she growled turning her piercing gaze onto me.

Suddenly it hit me how angry she really was, she didn't understand that my first instinct was to protect her, to do what was best for her, to do as she said and worship her like the she-wolf she was.

"I thought you would stop her if they didn't, I thought you would protect me," I whispered as I looked toward the ground.

She seemed to freeze at those words of mine and for a while she stood there in silence without moving.

Finally she spoke, "Of course I would Ziva," she said as she padded over to sit next to me, she pressed her side against mine and unraveled her tail to wrap it comforting around me.

"I am sorry I yelled Ziva, I was just so scared that I would lose you. I don't know what I would do if I lost you," she whispered pressing her face against my chest fur.

"You would have missed me, but eventually I would fade from you memory, you would no longer bother to look for me in your dreams after a while. You would forget me eventually and I would fade away, with the rest of those who have been forgotten," I said in a calm voice.

"Your wrong," she said pushing her face against me harder this time.

"I would never forget you, I would never stop searching for you in my dreams, I would always remember you. I would walk around in a daze that no one could bring me out of, I would think of you and only you every day and night, eventually my body would give up on me, start to whither away without me being dead and I would let it, for death would mean, that I would be with you once more," she whispered and I could hear the tears in her voice.

"Hush now Abigail, let us think of happier things," I said comfortingly as my heart swelled with love.

* * *

"Are you crazy," I whispered and yelled at the same time.

"You took on Ottersplash, one of the best fighters we have and before that, you challenged Angelstep, do you have a death wish," I continued.

"I know you are mad, but she was pushing you to keep going when you couldn't go any farther," Andi said to me with a calm voice.

"How can you be so calm at a time like this," I growled.

"Because there is nothing special about this time, I would have done it all over again if I had to and I wouldn't change a thing," She said as she began to groom her paw.

I groaned in defeat and flopped down onto my temporary nest, being around the pups was enjoyable, but after a while sleeping at night in the nursery became a problem when pups wouldn't sleep. I had always wanted pups, to have a family was a big wish of mine, a family that consisted of more than just me, Sarah, and AndI, a family with pups of my own, I didn't know if two she wolves could have pups, but I had heard of two she wolves or two male wolves having a family of their own from other packs. I was also scared to have pups, would I be able to love them, at least I think I would be able to love them, I believe I am capable of love, I think I love Sarah and Andi like they were my family, then again I am not exactly sure what love feels like. I know I would die for either of them in the heat of battle and I know that I am concerned for their safety, being around them makes me happy, happier than anyone in my old pack made me feel, this must be my family.

I pressed my front right paw to the ground a little harder, praying that this time I would feel something, but once again I was disappointed.

"Still nothing?" Sarah asked.

"Nothing, but numb," I huffed stirring up some dust.

"It will be alright," she said comfortingly.

"I know," I huffed once more before curling up in my nest.

I missed being in the normal's den, I missed having to avoid stepping on wolves as I walked back to my nest, I missed my soft nest made of grass, feathers, reeds, and fur from pray that we had caught, but for now, this nest and this den would do.


	7. New Signs

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* * *

_"I know," I huffed once more before curling up in my nest. _

_I missed being in the normal's den, I missed having to avoid stepping on wolves as I walked back to my nest, I missed my soft nest made of grass, feathers, reeds, and fur from pray that we had caught, but for now, this nest and this den would do. _

* * *

I woke to the sound of movement in the nursery, something inside of me told me not to open my eyes and to act as if I was sleeping, I did as my instincts told me.

"Should we tell her we are going out," I heard Sarah whisper.

"No, let her rest," Andi whispered in return.

With that they both snuck out of the nursery and I chose that moment to lift my head.

"Where are they going? Even more importantly why wouldn't they tell me they were going somewhere?" I thought suspiciously before shaking my head trying to expel the thoughts.

"Whoa there, don't go accusing them of things when you don't know anything," I scolded myself, if they weren't telling me something they would eventually.

I laid my head back down and fell back to sleep.

* * *

"Ziva," Abby whispered nudging me with her paw.

I pretended that she hadn't woken me from my sleep, just to mess with her.

"Ziva, there is no way you are not awake, you are the lightest sleeper I know, now get up," she said more forcefully as she nudged me with her muzzle.

"Alright, alright, I am up," I said with a large yawn.

"Good, come with me," Abby said as she padded to the entrance of her cave.

I could see that it was still dark outside and that it would be a while before the sun came up.

"It is too early for this," I huffed as I heaved myself from my temporary nest next to Abby's.

She was sitting in front of her den with her tail uncurled and wrapped around her paws so that the white tip of her tail blended in with her white paw tips. The moon shined on her in a way that made her dark black fur shine and caused her bright green eyes to sparkle.

I brought myself to her side and I sat down next to her.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"I have received a sign from our ancestors," she said without taking her eyes off of the full moon.

She seemed unable to remove her eyes from the moon, it was like she was captured in it, as if she was seeing the sign as she spoke to me. While she was trapped looking at the moon, I was trapped looking at her face, I couldn't look away.

"What did you see?" I asked in concern.

"Stars, they were falling in the night sky, but they were falling in the wrong way, it was more like they were rising up against the night," she said and I could see fear in her eyes as she relived the vision she saw.

"Then, a wolf with ripped wings appeared under the sky as the stars continued to fall the wrong way, the wind seemed to whisper quick and wise advice, and the ground was covered in mud that already had paw steps in it. There was a feeling in the air that said the night didn't want the wind or the wolf there. The wolf seemed to step around the mud as much as it could and the wind blew around the mud as well, until finally the wolf fell into the mud and when it did it caused the mud to splash up and it seemed to catch the wind," she whispered.

"What do you think it means?" I asked her.

"I don't know, but before the vision ended, I heard a voice," she said.

"What did it say?" I asked.

"Stars will fight the night, a secret has been kept that will test friendship when it is finally revealed, two paths and two packs, one destroys one pack, the other will keep things the same," she said as her eyes glazed over and she spoke with a voice that sounded far away.

Just as she finished, a rock fell from the top of the wall that surrounded all of our dens, it kept our camp safe and hard to get to.

I looked up as did she as we were finally able to tear our gazes away from what had captured us. I saw a pair of glowing eyes, then another pair, and another, I continued to see more and more eyes.

"Pack of Rising Stars, Attack!" a deep voice screeched into the silent night.

With that, wolves started pouring into the camp.

I felt Abby leave my side and I imidietly turned to follow her, but she whipped around to face me.

"No, go get the normal's, wake them up, let them know we are under attack," she ordered and reluctantly I did as she asked watching as she raced toward Brownfur's den.

I turned and ran for the normal's den, pausing when I reached the entrance.

"Wake up, the Pack of Night is under attack," I howled into the den.

As soon as the words left my mouth, wolves were waking and getting to their feet before racing past me to run out into battle.

"Ziva, what's going on?" Tony asked me.

"The Pack of Rising Stars is attacking," I panted before turning around and looking for Abby.

She was running to Ducky and Palmer as they stepped out of their den, but before she could get there a she-wolf with grey fur and blue eyes leaped onto her back. The she-wolf was twice Abby's size and she pinned Abby easily, but Abby was hard to hold onto, she slithered around onto her back and started to grapple with the she-wolf tossing her over her head so that the she-wolf was under her.

They tumbled like that until finally the she-wolf had Abby pined so that she could not get away. Abby started to kick at the she-wolfs belly growling and snarling at her as she tried to bite the she-wolf anywhere she could.

I could tell that Abby needed help, running towards them I felt myself get mad, how dare she touch Abby.

I rammed into the she-wolf, pushing her off Abby and rolling with her. I pined her down and started tearing at her in a blind rage.

"Ziva," I heard Abby call, I looked up without releasing my grip.

"We don't kill to win," she said calmly.

I looked down at the she-wolf below me to see that she had fear evident in her eyes, her left ear was shredded and she had blood trickling from a gash on her cheek, I stepped up and back a little allowing her to run out of the camp in fear.

* * *

I awoke at the howl that announced that the Pack of Rising Stars was attacking. Quickly I made my way to the front of the nursery as the mothers and there pups went to the back. Wolves were pouring into the camp from all sides, I looked back into the nursery to notice that Sarah and Andi still were not back.

"Where are you, I can't do this on my own," I whined.

My attention was cruelly brought back to the battle when a wolf wrapped its jaws around the scruff of my neck.

I jerked around until I slipped from their grip, then I ducked down before launching my self up and wrapping my jaws around his neck. I whipped my head around giving him a good shake before releasing my grip sending him flying into the camp clearing. He quickly got up and charged again, I charged at him as well, meeting him half way. We grappled clawing and biting each other. Finally I broke away from him, we stood there for just a moment glaring at each other and trying to get our breath.

"You rotten fox," I panted at him.

His eyes roared with anger and he lunged at me once more, locking us in battle.

I bit his paw and ripped causing the skin on the pad of his paw to rip away, with that he ran off whining.

I whipped my head around to see a wolf trying to get into the nursery and rage filled me, causing my paw steps to be even quicker, how dare he attack defenseless pups and mothers. I leaped onto his back and latched my jaw onto his ear, he let out a loud howl of pain and began to jerk and jump to try and get me off of his back.

He tried to roll over and crush me, but just at the last second I jumped off taking the top of his ear with me. I spit the tip of his ear out and turned around to see him running of howling in pain.

As I watched him go with a feeling of triumph, I was unexpectedly hit by a wolf from behind, she bowled me over and pinned me onto my back.

I looked up into her ice blue eyes as she glared down at me.

"You stupid wolves, always thinking you're the heroes, well look at the little hero now, trapped under a big bad wolf," she snarled before biting at my ears just hard enough to make me whine.

Tears threatened to spill over, but I held them back and started to run my claws across her light grey belly, which was hard when one of my paws had no feeling.

She released my ear and glared down at me once more as I fought to get out of her grip.

"What's wrong, are you tired little hero," she mocked.

"Stop it," I growled snapping at her jaw, but she moved out of the way just in time.

I was no match for her, I was in pain, I was still recovering, and I was already so tired, but I would fight until the my last dying breath for my pack.

She leaned down to bite me again and I thought I was done for, but she was interrupted by a loud howl.

"Pack of Rising Stars, retreat," howled their alpha.

The she-wolf glared at me once more before growling and running off with the rest of her pack.

I lay still on the ground panting as I tried to get my breath back.

* * *

"Ziva," I heard Abby whisper as I stood in the clearing.

My legs were shaking, I had a cut above my eye causing blood to drip into my eye and block me from seeing, I had a torn pad, and I had a long and deep scratch down my side.

"Lean against me," she whispered and I did as she requested.

She started to lead me to her den and I shook the whole way there. She had me lid down in my temporary nest, then she started to tend to my wounds.

She pressed some cobwebs against the cut on my eye gently, but I still flinched from the sting it caused.

She cooed to me the entire time, whispering sweat comforting things to me.

When she finished she told me to rest before she started toward the entrance of her den, quickly I lifted my head.

"Abby?" I called in alarm.

"Its alright Ziva, I need to go out and help Ducky and Palmer tend to the wounded, you stay here and rest," she cooed.

Reluctantly I laid my head back down, trying desperately to go to sleep, but the rush from the battle was still in my blood, causing me to shake.

Abby came in every once in a while to check on me, but every time I was still awake.

After a while I noticed Abby hadn't checked on me in quite a bit, I slowly made my way to the entrance of the den to see all of the wolves both young and old, both seriously injured and mildly injured all gathered around the camp clearing, most of them had there fur standing on end, their eyes hard as they stared at Hyperdemon and Quickthinking.

* * *

I lay there for a while until Angelstep came over to check my wounds, she didn't bother moving me, she seemed to sense that I didn't want to be moved. I was upset, angry, in pain, and very, very tired.

I smelled a familiar scent in the wind suddenly and I quickly got to my paws. I watched the entrance of the camp as Andi and Sarah walked into the clearing with confused and concerned looks on their faces.

I curled my lips back, planted my ears flat against my head, put my tail straight down and growled, "Where have you been."

"We," Andi started, but she let the sentence trail off, I'm guessing because she saw the shape I was in.

"She has a point, where have you two been while the Pack of Rising Stars was attacking our camp," Brownfur said accusingly.

"If you think we lead them here you wrong," Andi growled at him and I felt as if I should jump to her defense.

"Hyperdemon and Quickthinking may have not been present during the battle, but they are not traders," I growled at my alpha.

"Then explain why they were not here," he snarled at me.

"I don't have too, I trust my pack mates as should you," I retorted.

"That's enough," Angelstep growled using her 'alpha's voice'.

"Every one needs to rest, not start new quarrels," she continued in a normal voice.

With that Brownfur walked away and everyone turned their attention somewhere else.

I began to walk back to the nursery so that I could rest when Andi fell into step beside me.

"Thank you for," Andi was cut of by me putting my tail up and signaling for her to stop.

"Don't thank me Hyperdemon," I said harshly, I knew I would regret it later, but for now, I allowed myself to be angry.


	8. Letting it Out

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* * *

_"Thank you for," Andi was cut of by me putting my tail up and signaling for her to stop._

_"Don't thank me Hyperdemon," I said harshly, I knew I would regret it later, but for now, I allowed myself to be angry. _

* * *

"Ziva," I heard Abby call.

"Come on Ziva, I need to look at your wounds," she continued.

Finally I gave in and opened my eyes before lying on my belly so that she could reach them all.

"Turn your paw over," she said gently nudging it with her nose.

I did as she asked and braced myself for pain when I saw her move towards it more.

"You need to keep it off of the ground or it will get infected, when you place it down normally dirt and other nasty things get onto the raw skin, if new skin heals over it, the dirt will get trapped in there. Believe me, I don't want to be the one to gnaw your paw off," she explained before she started to try to lick it clean.

I whined from the pain of her tongue against raw, sensitive, skin. I knew she wasn't trying to hurt me, she was trying to help, so I didn't stop her, I also didn't stop her because she was Abby, I knew that she would never hurt me purposely, I trusted her.

"Sorry," she apologized when it was finally clean.

"It is alright," I sighed.

"Don't turn your paw over," she warned before sniffing at the cut above my eye.

"I wont," I replied closing my eyes and allowing myself to drink in her sweet scent that wafted all around me.

"This cut is healing quite well," she said before finally moving to the long scratch that was one my side.

After a few moments of silence I heard her let out a frustrated sigh.

"What is it Abby?" I asked slightly worried.

"This one was deep, I worry that it might leave a scar," she said staring intently at the scratch.

"That is not a bad thing, it's a battle scar, it is a sign that not only did I survive a battle, but I also won the one I was in," I said with a smug smile as I raised my head and puffed out my chest.

"Yes, but what about your beautiful fur? Of course you will still be beautiful, but your fur is so soft and shiny, it is a shame that you would loose some of it. Although there is the off chance that it won't scar," She ended the sentence with a hopeful smile as she walked over to some of her herbs and sat down to take inventory.

"I'm warning you now Ziva, if I catch you so much as sniffing that scratch, I will make sure you get a scar that will tell a story that you will never forget," she growled looking at me out of the corner of her eye without stopping what she was doing.

"Yes Abigail," I sighed before lying my head back down.

For a few moments we stayed like this sitting in a comfortable silence, but I could tell by the way the tip of her tail was twitching that she had something to say.

"What is it Abby?" I asked turning my head towards her without lifting it off of the ground.

She sighed and paused what she was doing before continuing to count her herbs.

"Ziva, if I asked you something, would you tell me the truth?" She asked keeping her back to me.

"Of course," I replied.

"Do you believe that Hyperdemon and Quickthinking really were a part of the attack from the Pack of Rising Stars?" she asked in a defeated voice.

"Do you believe that?" I asked in return finally raising my head and looking at her.

She sighed again, then she stood and turned around to look into my eyes. So many emotions were swirling in the bright, green, pools that I loved so much.

"I believe that they would never do anything to harm Mudstep, but she was in the battle and they were not, so I believe that they were not a part of it, but I worry that I might be wrong the dream I had said that a secret had been kept, maybe this was the secret. Still I can't help but believe that they are innocent," she sighed looking down as she finished the sentence.

She looked utterly defeated and exhausted, as if she was fighting a battle inside of her, I realized how true that was as I continued to study her small frame.

Her fur was ragged and sticking out in all different places, she seemed to struggle to hold herself up, and she breathed as if she had just ran for a whole day.

"Then I believe they are innocent," I stated and I could tell that she was surprised by both what I had said and by the fact that I had broken the silence.

"If you believe they are innocent, then so do I. You are a smart wolf, you fallow your heart even when every one is against you, you stand up for what you believe is right, and if you think that they are innocent, then I trust you enough to believe that myself," I said holding my head high as I spoke with as much confidence as I could.

"Oh Ziva," she sighed.

I started to sit up without placing my sour paw on the ground.

"Come here," I demanded softly when I was finally sitting up.

She looked at me for a moment before coming over to stand right in front of me, she stopped there and looked at me with confusion in her bright green eyes.

"No come here," I said again this time I patted my tail on the ground beside me to finally get through to her.

"Oh," she said softly before sitting next to me and looking at me with confusion once more.

I wrapped my tail around her, pushed our bodies together, and placed my head over hers.

Finally I got the reaction I had been waiting for. She nuzzled into my neck fur and her body started to rack with sobs.

"Its alright Abby, everything is going to be alright," I cooed to her.

"How do you know? How do you know that everything is not going to fall apart, how do you know I am right, what if I am wrong about it all?" she sobbed pressing her face deeper into my chest.

"Because I know and because I trust you, you are smart and the best sight there is, every pack wishes they had one as good as you, but we were lucky enough to get you, more importantly, I was lucky enough to be in the same pack as you," I cooed licking the top of her head.

* * *

I walked toward the smell that seemed familiar, I knew the scent, but I couldn't place it. Whoever it was they were still here, but they were on there territory.

I was currently down by the river, the water was clear and I could see the fish swimming and the pebbles on the bottom of the river reflecting the sun from the clear sky.

Finally I saw the wolf that had the familiar scent.

It was a she wolf basking on a boulder in the sun, she lay close to the water on her territory.

She had blue-grey fur with a light grey under belly and paws.

Finally I placed the scent, this was the she wolf that I had fought last in the battle.

She lay still enjoying the sun's warmth, unaware that I was watching her. I wanted to look away, but I couldn't.

I felt the need to call out to her, to get her attention, I didn't understand why, and I didn't do it.

The sun was high in the sky and the sand burned slightly under my paws. I felt hot under my heavy dark fur.

Suddenly my body acted on its own. I walked over to the edge of the river, pausing before launching myself into the river making a loud splash.

The water felt cool as it wrapped itself around me, I swam toward the top of the water finally emerging and letting go of the breath I had held onto.

She was looking me, she had only lifted her head and was looking through heavy lidded, ice blue eyes.

"Hi," I called as I swam around a bit.

"Hello," she said briskly before closing her eyes without laying her head back down.

"Lovely day for a swim isn't it?" I called to her.

"I guess," she said without emotion and it made me feel a bit like a failure.

_"Okay Sissy, your loosing her, one last try,"_ I thought to myself.

I ducked under the water and swam toward her side of the territory.

I allowed my fur to cover my eyes as I emerged from the water and padded onto the shore.

"What do you think your doing?" she said harshly as I waited for her to get near enough before shaking the water from my fur, making sure to get her wet.

"Hey, watch it," she warned.

"My apologizes, I didn't realize I had swam onto your territory, I'll be leaving now," I said with my best charming smile.

"You also got me wet," she pouted angrily.

"Again my apologize," I said bowing down politely before sitting down.

"Don't make yourself comfortable," she growled watching me with an intense look in her ice blue eyes.

"I wasn't I simply have an itch," I lied lifting my back paw to scratch at the back of my ear.

"Say, don't I know you from somewhere?" I asked as if I didn't already know.

"Yes, we fought in battle a little while ago," she said coldly.

"Oh, that's right, your really good bye the way," I said charmingly.

"I know that, you on the other hand seemed not to be trying," she said accusingly.

"Ah yes, you see, I was in an accident shortly before the battle and I was still recovering," I explained.

"What happened?" she asked curiously.

"I'll tell you what happened if you tell me your name, deal?" I asked hoping she would say deal.

She looked at me in a way that said she was trying to guess my angle.

"Fine deal. My name is Riverheart," she said.

"What, I don't get your given name?" I mock whined as I bent the front half of my body toward the ground and stuck my rear in the air, letting her know I was being playful.

"Don't push it," she growled.

"Alright suit yourself," I said before sitting down and telling her what had happened.

When my story was finished she had lost the glare in her eyes.

"That really happened to you?" she asked with curiosity in her eyes and a hint of concern was mixed in them as well.

"Yep," I said with a nod.

"And you really can't feel your paw anymore?" she asked in wonder.

"Nope, can't feel a thing," I said.

"Well I best be getting back onto my territory," I said standing up and walking over to the invisible line before crossing it. I was going to continue going, but she called out to me, making me pause.

"Wait, what's your name?" she called racing up to the edge of her territory.

"What?" I asked in surprise.

"I told you my name, now its your turn, what's your name?" she asked again.

"Mudstep, but you can call me Sissy," I said with a charming smile.

"I'll stick to Mudstep," she said before turning around and running back to her territory.


	9. Staying Up Late

**Hi everybody, I finished this chapter last night, but I could not post it because, by the time I had finished it, I was almost falling asleep sitting up.**

**Thank you for all of the support, please keep it coming.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

_"Mudstep, but you can call me Sissy," I said with a charming smile._

_"I'll stick to Mudstep," she said before turning around and running back to her territory._

* * *

"Ottersplash, wake up," I heard a male voice call.

I opened my eyes and sat up quickly. The voice was unfamiliar and if I was remembering correctly, I fell asleep next to Abby, and she was most definitely a female wolf. Abby had fallen asleep after crying for a while, she had been completely exhausted by the time she had started crying, she could barley stand on her own four paws by the time she had finished.

She curled up in a tight ball and I curled myself around her small body.

"Stop getting distracted, I have called you here for an important reason," the wolf growled.

He was sandy brown with white splotches, he had bright green eyes that looked exactly like Abby's, and he had two long top teeth. It was his eyes that caught me the most though, the only other wolf I had seen with those kind of eyes, was Abby.

"Who are you?" I asked him.

"My warrior name is Sandclaw, but my given name, is Tomas, you may call me Tomas," he said with a hard look.

"Tomas, are you related to Abigail?" I asked him feeling uncomfortable under his hard gaze that seemed to look into my very soul.

"Yes, I am her father, but she does not know that," continuing to give me a hard stare.

"I have a sign for you, so shut up and stay quiet," he growled.

"Why are you giving me the sign, Abby is the sight, not me?" I asked him still not wanting to disrespect him.

"Because Abby is under enough pressure and if you are going to be my daughters mate, then you must learn that the sight's mate also gets sign when the sight does not have enough strength for one," he growled out the last part.

I shook my head quickly to disagree with him.

"I can not be Abby's mate, she does not feel that way towards me," I said with a disappointed look toward the ground.

"You really are as stupid as you seem, you truly are no good match for my daughter, no one is, but I thought for just a moment, that you might come close. Abigail is head over tail in love with you and of course you are too blind to see it," he growled.

"She is in love with me?" I asked stupidly feeling my heart swell.

"Yes, you stupid she-wolf," he growled.

"Now are you ready for the sign, or are you going to run out on my daughter when she needs you most," he asked with a hard accusing look in his bright green eyes.

"I would never run out on Abby, I have stood by her since we were pups, I will not leave her anytime soon," I said with confidence with my head held high.

"Finally, that is what I have been waiting for," he said with less of a hard look.

He literally evaporated and the world around me spun as it changed.

Finally it stopped and I had to take a few steps to keep myself from falling down.

The sky was split in two, one side was complete and utter night with no stars present, the other side held stars that seemed to fall up instead of down, the ground seemed to be slit in just the same, on the side that had only night, the ground was splotched with patches of mud that already held paw steps in it, on the other side was a river that when it splashed up against the rocks, the splash made the shape of a heart. Both the mud and the river seemed to want to come together. On the side with the mud was a wolf with ripped wings and wind that seemed to whisper advice. Suddenly I heard Tomas's voice break the silence.

"Two worlds have been separated by hatred, can the mud and river meet and find the path that they were meant to walk together, or will the hatred their world have tear them apart. Another secret has been kept, will it tear apart a family, or will it bring them closer?" I heard his voice echo.

* * *

"Ziva," I called.

She seemed to calm in her sleep, but the calm didn't last for long, she once again started to squirm and whine in her sleep.

"Ziva, sweetie, wake up," I called prodding her with my paw.

She seemed to respond to that, she suddenly stilled and tensed up for a moment.

"Ziva, are you awake?" I asked after a moment of silence.

She relaxed at the sound of my voice as she let out a long deep sigh.

"Yes, I am now," she said without opening her eyes.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have woken you," I said feeling bad as I got up to go find somewhere else to sleep.

"No Abby, wait," she said wrapping her tail around my hind leg.

"I am sorry I acted the way I did, I did not mean to act cruel, please come back and lie down," she begged, that made me scared, Ziva never begged.

I turned around and studied her for a moment.

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked her.

"I had a bad dream that is all," she said looking into my eyes.

"That is not why I asked, I asked because you just begged me to come back and lie down with you, you never beg," I said giving her a mock accusing look.

She laughed for a moment.

"I do not beg to other wolves, that is true. Too you though Abby, I have no shame in begging, I would beg you for something forever, if it really meant that much to you, you have always been an exception to my rules Abby," she said with a look of love in her eyes.

I almost swooned at the look of love in her eyes, I quickly crawled back to my place next to her and curled up beside her.

She was warm and soft, and she smelled so sweet.

"I assume you like being the exception to my rules," she chuckled before leaning down and licking in between my ears.

"Oh Ziva, you have no idea how much I love being the exception to your rules," I sighed.

We stayed like this for quite sometime, drifting in and out of sleep.

"Ziva?" I finally whispered when I had drifted back to consciousness.

"Yes Abigail?" she answered softly.

"You said you had a bad dream, what was it about?" I asked letting my curiosity get the best of me.

She told me about the sign she got and how she met Tomas.

"You met Tomas?" I asked.

"Yes, he was not very nice to me, but he had good reasoning not to be," she laughed softly.

"What was his reason?" I asked lifting my head so that I could look her in the eyes.

"He knew I had romantic feelings for his daughter, so he felt the need to protect her," she said looking at me with loving eyes.

I felt my heart break with the mention that Ziva had romantic feelings for someone else other than me.

"Oh," I said fighting a lump in my throat as I turned my head away from her so she didn't see me trying to fight the tears.

"Abigail? What is wrong love?" she asked softly.

"Please don't call me that," I said fighting the tears.

"Why not?" she asked and I could tell I was hurting her, but it had to be done, I couldn't let her string me along like this when she had feelings for some other she wolf.

"Because you are not allowed to call me that, when you have romantic feelings for someone else," I said desperately as I tried my hardest to fight my tears.

"Abby," she said ducking under my head and placing the tip of her nose on my jaw before pulling so that my head was facing toward her once more.

She pulled back and looked me directly in my eyes.

"Abigail, you are Tomas's daughter, you are the one I love, you are the one I have romantic feelings for, you are the reason Tomas was rued to me, you are the reason I got the sign," she said with a look of desperation in her eyes.

Suddenly I was fighting back tears for a completely different reason, my feelings had gone from hurt, sadness, and frustration, to love, joy, and complete desperation to bury my face in her fur.

"Do you really mean that?" I asked with a bit of fear that she would say no that it was all some kind of cruel joke.

* * *

"Yes I do Abigail," I said feeling my heart swell with love once more.

"Ziva," she squealed before lunging forward and burying her face into my chest fur.

I laughed at her pup like nature, I had always loved that about her, she seemed to be so care free and pup like, as if her responsibilities as a sight could not reach her.

"Abigail?" I asked as she nuzzled my fur.

"Yes Ziva?" she said, her voice muffled by my fur.

"Will you be my mate?" I asked with a mixture of fear and hope stirring in my stomach.

She pulled back with a shocked look on her face and it made the fear start to eat away at my heart, maybe she did not want to be my mate.

"Never mind, forget I asked," I said looking away.

"No Ziva, of course I want to be your mate," she said drawing my attention back to her.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes," she said with a yawn.

"Now, can we go back to sleep, I don't want to be the one who gets in trouble because you are tired tomorrow," she yawned again before curling into me and burying her face into my fur.

"Yes," I yawned before curling tighter around her, laying my head down, and wrapping my tail around hers.

* * *

I tossed and turned in my nest in the normal's den, I couldn't stop thinking about Riverheart, would I get to see her again, would the next time I see her be in another battle, should I go out and look for her now?

I tossed once more, causing Andi to growl.

"Stop shifting so much, no wolf can get sleep when you keep moving around like you have ants in your fur," she growled before curling around Sarah once more.

"Whatever," I huffed in return before curling up in the opposite direction, they had been keeping secrets from me. I wasn't sleeping in their little wolf pile, not that I would suspect that they would want me to be a part of it.

Finally, I found sleep, but Riverheart haunted my dreams, she spoke to me, laughed with me and laid in a field with me. All the while I was happy, happy to just be near her.


	10. Claiming You

**Hi guys, Sorry about the lack of Zabby in this story I am trying to get more into it.**

**The song that is mentioned in this chapter does not belong to me, it is called To write love on her arms, by helio, I did have to alter the lyrics just a bit, since they are wolves not humans.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

_Finally, I found sleep, but Riverheart haunted my dreams, she spoke to me, laughed with me and laid in a field with me. All the while I was happy, happy to just be near her._

* * *

I woke to the beautiful sound of Abby humming, I opened my eyes to see the black she-wolf shuffling back and forth around her den placing a bunch of new herbs in there rightful places.

The way she moved, hummed, and looked around, made it seem as if she did not have a care in the world, as if her duties as a sight could not reach her now, it all reminded me of when we were pups, when we were not bothered by our duties as normals, sights, or healers in Palmer's case.

* * *

**Flashback**

"Ow, Tony that hurt," I whined as I struggled to get up on my unstable and stumpy legs after Tony had rammed into my side.

"Oh don't be a puppy," Tony teased as he trotted clumsily up to Ziva and got into a playful stance.

"Excuse me Tony, but we are puppies," McGee said pointedly.

"Oh whatever, McPup," Tony said getting in a playful stance toward McGee now.

I looked around while Tony was distracted, finally my eyes settled on the small black, grey, and white she-pup that was curled up tightly against Jenny.

She didn't talk much and she usually was attached to Jenny or Gibbs, she seemed to afraid of everyone else to come over and talk to them.

Most of the mothers wouldn't let their pups go near her, just because she came from a different pack, my mommy had told me to try and talk to her, she said she understood how the pup felt, because she, Daddy, and Ari had all come from another pack, but yet they were just as loyal as any wolf.

I tried to talk to her before, but she didn't even look at me, she just curled up tighter to Jenny, as if she was scared of me.

I trotted up to where Jenny lay, when I got to where they were I stopped and got down in a playful stance in front of the little she-pup, she looked at me out of the corner of one of her bright green eyes and tried to get impossibly closer to Jenny.

Jenny leaned her head over and sniffed at the top of the pup's head, causing her to look up at Jenny with curious, green eyes.

"Don't be scared Abby, you want to make friends don't you?" Jenny asked in a soothing voice.

The pup said nothing, but nodded her head.

"Then go play, try saying 'Hello'," Jenny said to the pup once more.

The pup slowly turned her head to me with great caution. When she was fully looking at me, I found myself captured by her bright green eyes, right then I couldn't compare them to anything that I had seen before, they were beautiful and so full of emotion and curiosity.

The pup looked up at Jenny quickly as if to ask her for answers.

"Go ahead Abby, say 'Hello'," she said nodding at the small pup, who I now assumed was named Abby.

She nudged Abby forward when the small pup was once again hesitant.

The fear in Abby's eyes seemed to grow as she was pushed in front of me.

I smiled at her encouragingly, hoping that she would say her first words to me.

Abby swallowed hard before laying her ears flat against her head.

"Hello," she whispered.

The joy I felt tore itself out of me with a squeal and it also caused me to jump with joy at the same time.

She seemed startled by my act, I quickly made show that I was not a threat by lying on my back and pawing gently at her jaw.

She groaned and made playful noises as she gently nipped at my paws.

I got up and ran only a little bit, before stopping and looking back to see if she would chase me.

She stared at me for a moment with a bewildered expression on her face, finally a smile took over her face and she gave chase.

We played all day like that, laughing and smiling, we didn't say much, actually if any words were said, they were said by me.

I told her about how I wanted to be a normal so bad, I told her about my older brother, and I talked about Tony, McGee, Palmer, and Michael.

**Flashback End**

* * *

"Ziva!" Abby shouted.

"What?" I shouted back slightly bewildered by the fact that she was shouting.

"Thank the ancestors, I thought you were sleeping with your eyes open for a moment," she said with a sigh of relief.

"What?" I said still very confused.

"I have been calling your name for quite some time now, what were you thinking about?" Abby asked tilting her head to one side.

"I was thinking about the first day you actually spoke to me," I said with a content voice.

Abby laughed, then she walked over to me, she stopped and lied on her back.

"Does this seem familiar Ziva?" she asked as she started to gently paw at my jaw.

I laughed along with her, instead of nipping at her paw I licked them each before slowly moving down her legs, I lowered myself down until I was lying down next to her, I licked at her cheeks and she wagged her tail.

I pulled back until my mouth was down by her ears.

"I guess you like this attention, huh my love?" I asked her before I moved back and started licking her cheeks once more, this time I slowly made my way to licking her neck.

"Ziva," she whispered and I pulled back just for a moment so that I could stare into her green eyes that were now glazed over.

I leaned back down and lightly gripped her shoulder between my jaws, showing that I wanted to mark her as my mate.

If I was able to mark her, then she would bite my shoulder as well, showing that I was taken, once a wolf is marked by their mate, they can never have any other mate unless their mate dies.

My heart leaped for joy when she placed her jaws on my shoulder as well, I waited for her to bite down hard enough to draw blood before doing the same, I didn't want to hurt her, but I wanted her to be mine forever.

The bite hurt, but I also didn't move away, I wanted to be hers, just as much as I wanted her to be mine.

She started to lick at the bite without releasing me and I did the same, trying to sooth some of the pain.

Finally, she released me and I did the same for her.

"Ziva," she whispered again and I knew without looking into her eyes that she wanted me to claim her in the only other way a mate could.

I leaned down and started to lick at her body once more.

* * *

I made my way back toward the river hoping that I would catch Riverheat's scent.

Humming a song from my heart, this is what she was making me hum.

_"If Andi could see me now,"_ I thought as I hummed my way down to the river shore.

"Well she won't leave this night alone," I sang quietly before continuing to hum.

"And she won't sleep at all," I continued.

I sat down by the river as it reached for my paws, but never quite made it, before quickly retreating.

"And all the sorrow that she takes out on herself, comes around and leaves her bleeding on the ground, and she knows yeah she knows, there's a lot of ugly things about this world," I continued as I thought about how Andi, Sarah and I met.

It had been a cold winter's day, I had been on my own, I was about to freeze to death, I was covered in snow, quite literally, the snow had buried me when it fell from the tree.

I was about to go and join my ancestors when something started clawing at the snow over my head.

I remember my whole body felt numb, so when Andi had grabbed me by the scruff of my neck and carried me out of the whole and to the small makeshift den she and Sarah were staying in.

When I awoke Sarah and I were the only ones in the den, it was warm, but I was still scared, both of these wolves were older and bigger than I was, Sarah saw that I had woken up and started to try to talk to me when I bolted for the entrance of the den.

I didn't make it far when Sarah stopped me, she herded me to the back of the cave where it was the warmest.

She explained to me that Andi had dug me out of the snow pile and brought me back here.

_"It was not exactly an Andi thing to do, I wonder why I was different from any other wolf,"_ I thought before shaking my head to expel the thoughts.

I stopped shaking my head and started humming once more to try and get more of that song I had found in my heart.

"These star lights, they shine bright, as they illuminate the darkness of the ground, and they shine as we try, to write it on her arms the love she longs to taste," I sang a little louder.

"Wow," I heard a voice come from behind me say.

It scared me so bad I tried to turn around and step backwards, which caused me to stumble backwards and fall awkwardly back into the river.

_"Smooth Sissy, just smooth,"_ I thought sarcastically to myself.

I pulled myself out of the water with my fur clinging to my body, showing just how small I actually was.

I looked over to the voice to see Riverheart.

"Do you have any idea how bad you scared me," I growled shaking my fur to get rid of the water in my fur.

"Sorry, its just. Were you singing?" she asked with curiosity in her eyes.

"Yeah, why?" I asked defensively.

"It was beautiful, I loved your voice," she said with a look of wonder in her ice blue eyes.


	11. Tired

**Hey guys, sorry I haven't updated in a while, I have kind of had writer's block for this one, so forgive me if this chapter is a little short or if it kind of sucks.**

* * *

_"Yeah, why?" I asked defensively._

_"It was beautiful, I loved your voice," she said with a look of wonder in her ice blue eyes._

* * *

I collapsed in a panting heap of fur next to Abby on the soft bedding on the floor of her cave.

"Wow," Abby panted beside me as she curled up so that her head was lying on my chest.

"Yeah," I panted in return.

"That was, wow," she panted.

"Yeah," I panted once again.

"Thank you," she said lifting her head and licking my cheek.

"Why are you thanking me?" I asked slightly regaining my breath.

"For claiming me then mating with me," she sighed trying to regain her normal breathing as she laid her head on my chest once more.

"Well then I should be thanking you," I said shifting so that I was on my side.

She moved so that her head was now near mine instead of on my chest, she curled her tail around mine to make up for the loss of contact.

"No I just, I know it couldn't have been easy mating with me?" Abby said without looking at me.

"Abigail, look at me," I said to my new mate.

Abby did as I asked of her and looked to into my eyes.

"Mating with you tonight, made it so that tonight made it to the top of my list of top ten nights and days. I have never done something so right as mating with you, you will now and forever be my queen Abby," I said to her with love in my voice.

"What is the second on your list?" she asked with happy curiosity.

"The first day you spoke to me, all you said to me was 'hello' and it was on the top of my list until tonight," I said with a smile as I leaned over and licked the side of her muzzle.

"Really?" she asked me with love and hope in her sparkling green eyes.

"Yes, why would you think that it would be hard for me to mate with you?" I asked her with genuine curiosity.

"I hear what all the other wolves say about me, they either want to mate with me without claiming me or they hate me for not being born here, I mean, when you claimed me and allowed me to claim you, you committed pack suicide," Abby said looking down in shame.

"Good thing no one liked me already," I said jokingly.

"Are you kidding, everyone likes you, the only wolf I know who doesn't like you is Michael and possibly Hyperdemon," Abby said with a thoughtful look on her face.

"But I do not hang around any other wolves besides you, Ducky, Palmer, Jenny, Gibbs, Tony, and McGee," I said rubbing my nose against hers.

Abby pulled back and turned her head before letting out a huge yawn.

"Are you tired my love?" I asked her with my own yawn.

"Yes, you tired me out," she said lying her head down and curling up in a ball.

"You tired me out as well my love," I said getting up, lying down next to her, and curling myself around her before lying my head on her shoulder.

"I love you Ziva, good night," she whispered.

"I love you as well Abigail, sweet dreams," I whispered licking her shoulder one last time, before lying my head down on her shoulder again.

* * *

"Thank you," I said in surprise.

"Your welcome," she said with a happy expression on her face.

"How did you sleep last night?" I asked stepping closer to the invisible line between out territories and sitting down before wrapping my tail around my paws.

"I slept fine and you?" she asked with her guarded expression back on her face.

"I had a hard time sleeping, but that shouldn't concern you," I answered in a non-caring tone.

"Why didn't you get a good sleep?" she asked in with a slight hint of caring in her voice.

"I could not fall asleep, I have had a lot on my mind lately," I sighed looking down at the ground.

"What has been on your mind?" she asked with a slightly concerned face.

"Careful, I might think you actually care," I said wading into the river until it the water was brushing my belly fur.

"Hey now, I do care. Now what has been on you mind?" she asked wading out until she stood before me.

"Why do you care, we have only known each other two days," I said looking up at her.

"I know," she said walking to my side and sitting down in the cool water which now went up to the beginning of her chest.

I sat down next to her, I had grown a bit since two days ago, but only a bit that only I could notice, it was enough to keep the water at half of my chest, I was still young so I would probably continue to grow.

"But you remind me of a pup I knew when I was younger, her father leads the pack now, but her mother took her and ran off with some dog, funny thing is her mother came back a few days later accusing her father of stealing her, she has been missing since then," she continued.

I looked up at her and I felt a twinge of fear in the pit of my stomach.

"So now, will you tell me what has been on your mind?" she asked looking at me, causing me to pray that the fear wasn't on my face.

"Andi and Sarah have been hiding something from me, we used to be so close, now they have there own secret, I am afraid I am loosing the only wolves I have left and you have been on my mind as well and I have this huge secret that I can never tell anyone," I said sighing the last part.

"I am sorry about your friends, you have been on my mind a lot too and about that big huge secret, I highly doubt that it can be that bad, you don't have to tell me, but maybe, one day you will," she sighed lying her head on my shoulder.


	12. Fighting For You

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* * *

_"Andi and Sarah have been hiding something from me, we used to be so close, now they have there own secret, I am afraid I am loosing the only wolves I have left and you have been on my mind as well and I have this huge secret that I can never tell anyone," I said sighing the last part._

_"I am sorry about your friends, you have been on my mind a lot too and about that big huge secret, I highly doubt that it can be that bad, you don't have to tell me, but maybe, one day you will," she sighed lying her head on my shoulder._

* * *

"Abby," I heard someone whisper.

I raised my head immediately to find that Abby was not beside me, this realization caused me to panic a bit until I finally laid my eyes on her.

She was trotting toward the front of her den where Tony stood with a wagging tail.

"Yes Tony?" she answered.

"Ducky wanted me to let you know, that he wishes to see you," Tony said.

"Alright tell him I will be there in a moment," Abby said wagging her tail that was uncurled.

"Alright," he said before he turned around and sped off in the direction of Ducky and Palmer's den.

"Abby," I called gaining my mate's attention.

"Yes," Abby answered turning around and capturing in her happy gaze as she continued to wag her tail.

"What is going on?" I asked sitting up in our nest.

"I am just going to see Ducky, he sent Tony for me," she answered.

"Oh, I will go and get something to eat while I wait for you," I said as I stood up and shook the grass and dust from my fur.

"Alright come on, I will walk with you until we get to Ducky and Palmer's den," Abby said with a happy face.

I said nothing, but got up and started walking, I licked her cheek as I got to her and continued to walk. She turned and walked beside me as we walked she wrapped her tail around mine.

As we left her cave I bumped her body with my own playfully causing her to let out a small giggle of joy.

"Have fun hunting," she said uncurling her tail from mine and entering Ducky and Palmer's den.

I nodded to her and raced of to the camp entrance.

I raced along in the woods allowing the wind to blow scents toward me.

Suddenly a slightly familiar scent hit me. It was Mudstep's, but unlike any other time, Hyperdemon and Quickthinking's scent was not mixed with hers.

"What are you doing out here all alone?" I whispered to myself.

I raced toward her scent until I came to where the dirt of the woods turned into the sand from the beach.

I made sure to stay hidden and I kept my scent downwind so that she couldn't smell me.

"I have to go, Ducky told me to go to his den first thing in morning, I am already late," I heard Mudstep say to a blue-grey and light silver female wolf.

The she wolf was unfamiliar to me, so when the wind blew my way I lifted my nose to try and catch her scent.

My eyes went wide when I recognized her scent.

_"She is from the Pack of Rising Stars. What is Mudstep doing? She should be chasing her off of our territory."_ I thought to myself.

"Alright, meet me hear again tonight?" The she-wolf asked crossing back over into her territory.

"Of course," Mudstep said before walking back into the woods.

I followed her, making sure all the while that she could not catch my scent or hear my footsteps.

She entered the camp and I stopped there, I couldn't follow her into Ducky's and Palmer's den, I had to give Abby space and I didn't want Mudstep to suspect that I was fallowing her, I also didn't want her to think that I was being nosy and wanting to know why she was meeting Ducky and Abby.

I walked into the camp and looked for Tony, he would keep me distracted.

I spotted him lying down next to McGee, they were laughing about something and I quickly decided to go find out what it was that was so funny.

"Hello Tony, McGee," I said as I nodded my greetings.

"Hello Ziva," Tony and McGee said nodding in return.

"Mind if I lie here with you both?" I asked them wagging my tail.

"Not at all," McGee said with a shy smile, his smile faded into a frown as he watched me lie down in front of them both.

"What is it McGee?" I asked in confusion.

"You have a mate?" he asked with hurt in his eyes.

"Oh, yes, why do you look hurt?" I asked still confused at what my being Abby's mate had to do with why he was sad.

"I just thought, never mind," he said shaking his head.

"No what is wrong McGee?" I asked with concern as I placed my paw over his.

"I have kind of had feelings for you ever since we were pups, romantic feelings," he said with a shy smile.

I let out a small laugh, but I quickly stopped myself.

"Sorry, I did not know, but even if I had, I do not think I would have been your mate," I said with a hopeful face.

His eyes flashed with anger and he ripped his paw out from under mine, "You don't know that, we could have been mates, I bet I would have been better than whoever is your mate now," he growled.

He opened his mouth to growl something else, but Tony quickly cut him off.

"Hey now, this other wolf is a better mate for her then you are, she is right, you two would not have been mates, this other wolf has been around almost as long as you have," Tony growled in my defense.

"Whatever," he huffed before getting up and walking away in a fit.

"Thank you," I whispered in shame.

"Ziva, don't let what McGee said bother you, he will come around and he will understand once he realizes that Abby is your mate," He said reassuringly.

"How did you know that Abby was my mate, we haven't told anyone yet?" I asked with a curious face.

"Ziva, before you and Abby became mates, you followed Abby around like a pup would follow it's mother through a snow storm, any wolf with eyes could see that you loved Abby, and now you walk around with a bounce in your step and a mate's mark on your shoulder," he said with knowing eyes.

"I was that obvious?" I asked.

"Yes you were," he laughed.

"Well, when are you going to settle down?" I asked with a sly face.

"I don't know, I haven't found any she-wolf that I have deemed worthy," he said with mock cockiness in his voice.

"Hmmmm, what about Shadowfur," I asked looking at the dark grey she-wolf.

"No, she has a sharp tongue, she always has to have the last word," he said with a thoughtful look.

"Well, what about Beetleclaw," I asked shifting my gaze to a female with dark orange fur and brown paws.

"No, she is too nosey, she always has to be in every wolf's business," he said studying the wolves in the camps.

"Well then, I guess you will have to wait until some of the pups grow up or until a trainee becomes a normal, or a healer, or possibly even a sight," I said with a content face.

"By then my fur will be as grey as Silverfox's fur," he laughed.

"Speaking of pups," he continued.

"Are you and Abby going to have any?" he asked with his usual Tony face.

"I don't know, I don't know if Abby wants pups and even if she does want them, it is a little more complicated for two she-wolves to have pups, they either adopt a pup when it is in need of parents, which does not happen often, or they are granted one by the ancestors, then it would be as if a she-wolf had mated with a male wolf, she carries the pup or pups for a while, then she gives birth to it or them," I said with a defeated sigh.

"Do you want pups?" he asked with caring eyes.

"Yes, but I will only have them if Abby wants them," I replied to him.

"If Abby does want them, I don't know who will want to carry them, Abby does not like to sit still, she is always moving, and she has other duties to carry out, I don't think she will be able to do them all if she carries the pups," he informed me.

"I will carry them then," I said in a confident voice.

"Oh gosh, that would be a sight to see," he laughed.

"What would be a sight to see?" Abby asked causing both Tony and I to jump a bit in surprise.

"Hello Abby," I said with a nod of greeting as she laid down beside me.

"Hello," she said with a return nod.

"Now what would be a sight to see?" she continued.

Tony stayed silent waiting for me to give him permission to tell her, finally, I nodded, letting him know that I didn't mind.

"A pregnant Ziva," he said turning over on his back so that the sun hit his stomach.

"Hmmm that would be a sight to see," she said with a thoughtful look.

"Why are we talking about you being pregnant by the way?" Abby asked with a curious look.

I opened my mouth to say something, but I was quickly cut off by Tony.

"Because Ziva wants pups," he said quickly.

"I did not say that, I said I only wanted pups if Abby wanted them," I tried to explain as I panicked a bit.

"No you said, that you did want pups, but you would only have them if Abby wanted them," he said looking up at the sky in a distracted daze.

"Tony," I growled.

"Yes," he answered still in a daze.

"Shut up," I growled.

"Why would he do that, well besides the usual reasons?" Abby asked with a curious face.

"I. Well. I-I thought," I sputtered out before finally giving up on trying to form actual sentences.

"I rather like what Tony said, other wise I don't think you would have ever given me a straight answer," she said with a happy face.

"Well?" I asked hoping she would get what I was asking.

"I would like to have pups," she answered.

I whined with excitement and licked at her muzzle for a moment before composing myself once more.

"Hello Abby," I heard Michael say as he padded up to us.

"Ummm, hello Darkheart," Abby said in confusion as she turned her head to him.

His smile faded and he started to growl suddenly and she angled her ears back in fear.

"Has someone hurt you?" he growled at her.

"No why?" she asked in fear as she backed up into me.

I bared my teeth at him, but he wasn't paying attention to me.

"There is a bite mark on your shoulder," he barked baring his teeth in anger and stepping closer to her.

"The mark was not meant for pain," she said trying to reassure him.

I noticed that as he stepped closer, Tony had rolled over and started baring his teeth as well.

"Then what was it meant for?" he barked loudly stepping even closer to her.

I let go of my composure, I barked and jumped up, quickly I got in a protective stance over Abby.

"That is close enough," I growled as Tony got by my side growling and snapping his jaws as Michael.

"She is hurt, but of course you are to stupid to notice that," he growled in anger.

"She is not hurt and even if she was, it would be none of your concern," I growled snapping my jaws at him before quickly getting back in my stance.

"Of course it is my concern, she is going to be my mate one day," he growled.

"No she is not, she is my mate, not yours, she will never be yours," I said stepping in front of Abby and getting into his space.

"Your lying," he barked.

"No she's not," Abby whispered in a moment of confidence in the middle of her fear.

He lunged at me at hearing this, he quickly pinned me down underneath him, he was a large and deranged wolf, I could see why Abby was afraid of him.

"I'll kill you for stealing her away from me," he growled as he lurched forward towards my face.

I closed my eyes and waited for him to bite into me, but suddenly his weight was lifted off of me.

I opened my eyes to see Tony tackle him to the ground and they rolled in a ball of fur and snapping teeth.

I watched as Michael flung Tony aside and ran at me.

I lunged forward and locked my jaws on any part of fur I could get as we fought.

I tore at his fur and clawed at his body as we rolled.

"Stop," came the command that was given by our Alpha, he did not have the Alpha's voice, he wasn't born from an Alpha.

Michael ignored him and continued to tear at me.

"STOP," I heard the Alpha's voice ring through my head as Michael leaped off of me and coward on the ground.

I quickly rolled over and did the same.

Abby's eyes were hard as she stared in our direction, her tail was raised straight up showing that she was in charge. Brownfur was barley able to stop himself from reacting to her Alpha's voice.

Brownfur walked up to us both, I should expect better of you Darkheart, you are my beta after all, or should I say, you were my beta," he said with a hard look at him.

"What do you mean?" he whined.

"I mean, you are released of your beta duties, you are no longer beta, you are once again a normal, now get out of my sight," he growled.

Michael quickly ran to the normal's den, Brownfur then turned his hard gaze on me.

"As for you, you are restricted from leaving the camp for two days, now go back to where you sleep," he growled.

I quickly ran to Abby's den where I ran to where our nest was, I turned a few times before plopping down in the nest, once I was curled up, I buried my face the best I could in the nest. I listened as he announced Tony's punishment.

"You will not be allowed to leave the camp for two days as well, you will be sleeping in Duckfeathers and Oddpaw's den, now go to their den," he said sternly and I listened as Tony ran to Ducky and Palmer's den.


	13. Now She's Left

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* * *

_I listened as he announced Tony's punishment._

_"You will not be allowed to leave the camp for two days as well, you will be sleeping in Duckfeathers and Oddpaw's den, now go to their den," he said sternly and I listened as Tony ran to Ducky and Palmer's den._

* * *

I pretended to be sleeping as I heard footsteps fall on the floor inside my new den. The scent of the wolf told me it was Abby.

"I know your not sleeping," Abby said with caution in her voice.

"I am trying to go to sleep though," I replied without turning toward her.

"Why, it is still morning, why sleep when it is so beautiful out?" Abby asked.

"Why not sleep when I cannot leave the camp?" I said in a grumpy voice.

"Because you can help me throughout the day, learn what its like to be a sight," she said with happiness in her voice.

"I am not a sight Abby, I am not that low, unfortunately I am the mate of a sight though," I growled standing up and facing her.

"Unfortunately, I have made the mistake of loving a sight, I have lowered myself down so that my only option is a sight who is constantly causing me to get into fights or trouble," I growled finally looking up at her face.

What I saw there on her face made me realize what I had just said. I hadn't meant all of that, I had just been mad, I wasn't mad at her, I was just mad at the fact that I had been punished for protecting my mate.

Her eyes were filled with tears, she had hurt written across her face.

"Fine, if that is how you feel, then I will leave, I am sorry I made you fall in love with me," she cried before turning and running out of the den with me hard on her paws.

I stopped quickly when she ran through the entrance of the camp.

"Abby! Wait!," I called as I stopped, but if she heard me she showed no sign of stopping.

"What do you think you are doing," I heard Brownfur growl.

"I have to go after her, I said some things I shouldn't have, things I didn't mean," I said in an urgent voice.

"You will stay here, I am sure Angelstep will be fine," he ordered.

"No before she left she said she was leaving, I don't know if she meant for good or for a short while," I whined in fear and desperation.

"She has a point," Mudstep said appearing from behind me.

"I agree with Sissy," Quickthinking said walking up beside Mudstep with Hyperdemon.

"So do I," Hyperdemon said, they looked like they were ready to fight a battle, like they would die for each other.

Suddenly a loud crack of thunder roared through the sky fallowed by a flash of lighting, a few moment's later rain started pouring from the sky, soaking us all quickly.

"Oh no, Abby," I whispered, something moved behind me drawing my attention.

It was Mudstep, she had moved closer to her friends and fear was evident in her eyes. She didn't like thunder either.

"Forget it, I am not sending any wolves out in this weather," he growled.

"You do not understand, Abigail has a horrible fear of thunder," Ducky said walking out of his den and confronting the alpha.

"Ducky is telling the truth, Abby could get hurt out there," Gibbs said standing beside me.

Brownfur looked around to see how many wolves had come up to stand for finding Abby. All of her friends were standing including Michael, I didn't like the male wolf and he didn't like me, but we both had one thing in common, we both loved Abby with all of our being.

"Fine," he growled, "but you, Handsomdevil, and Darkheart will stay here, we will update you every time one of the search parties return," he said looking at me with stern but trusting eyes.

"The first party will be made of Silverfox, Mudstep, Hyperdemon, Quickthinking, Oddpaw, and Blazefur, now go," he said sending off the party.

* * *

"Ziva," Gibbs called gruffly as he stood at the opening of Abby's cave.

I rushed up to him.

"Have you found her?" I asked as he shook the water from his thick silver fur.

"No, we fallowed her scent up until the river, but it breaks off there, we searched for it on the other side of the river, but it isn't there, the rain must have washed it away," he said with a sad look.

I felt bad for the wolf, Abby was like his daughter, she was his adopted daughter.

"Someone will find her Gibbs, someone has to find her sooner or later," I said nuzzling his neck fur for comfort.

"I know, where is your father, shouldn't he be comforting you like this or at least your mother?" he asked looking at me.

"You are correct Gibbs, we should be comforting our daughter in a time like this, but we wanted to give her some time to think about what she has done, this is all because of something she said," my father said with his mother at my side.

"Sorry Eli, Layla," he said nodding to both of my parents as he said their names and left the cave.

"How are you Ziva," my mother said sitting beside me and licking the top of my head soothingly.

"I miss her mama, I am scared, I do not want to loose her," I said as a tear trickled down my face.

"It will be alright," my father said as he sat beside me.

"How do you know that papa?" I asked looking to him.

"I know because I know Abby loves you, she will come back, even if it hurts her to do so, you would do exactly that," he said solemnly as he looked at me.

"Thank you papa," I said to him.

* * *

"Sissy wait up," Andi called after me as I raced ahead.

"No you catch up," I yelled back to Andi and Sarah as my paws pounded on the wet ground.

"Where are we going?" Sarah called.

"I have to meet up with someone who might be able to help," I called as I raced along the slippery edge of the river.

"Who are we meeting?" Andi called as she speed up with Sarah hard on her paws.

"A friend of mine," I called back.

"Who is this friend?" Andi panted as she caught up to me when I finally stopped at the edge of our territory.

"You will see," I told Andi before letting out a loud howl.

A few minutes later I heard a twig crack.

"Sissy, is that you?" came a whisper that made my tail wag with joy.

"Yes Cassidy, it is me?" I said with a wolfish purr.

Cassidy's head appeared out of the ferns before she stepped onto our territory, I walked up to her and nuzzled her head affectionately with my own.

"Hello Cassidy," I said with a purr.

"Hello Sissy," she greeted as her tail wagged.

I heard Andi clear her throat behind me and I stepped back composing myself.

"You must be Andi and Sarah," Cassidy growled.

"Yes and your name is Cassidy?" Andi said bitterly.

"Yes, but I would prefer that _you_ called my Riverheart, I am sorry for being so cruel, but I care for Sissy and lately you two have not been the best for her," she growled.

I was simply happy from the fact that she said she cared about me.

"Well then in that case I would prefer that you called me Hyperdemon and called her Quickthinking and what do you mean we haven't been the best for her," Andi growled in return.

"Okay you two, now that we have introductory out of the way, lets get down to business," I said stepping between the two growling wolves.


	14. Thinking Like Her

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* * *

_"Well then in that case I would prefer that you called me Hyperdemon and called her Quickthinking and what do you mean we haven't been the best for her," Andi growled in return._

_"Okay you two, now that we have introductory out of the way, lets get down to business," I said stepping between the two growling wolves._

* * *

"How can I help you Sissy?" Cassidy asked without taking her glare off of Andi and Sarah.

"A pack mate of mine is missing, I was wondering if you had seen her?" I asked stepping in the way of her gaze and blocking Andi from her sight, her glare turned into a look of joy as she looked at me.

"I don't know, what did she look like?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh come on now, how many lone wolves have you seen today?" Andi said in a frustrated sigh.

"Andi, hush," I hissed.

Andi opened her mouth to speak again, but quickly thought better of it an closed her jaw once more.

"She is a black she wolf with white ear tips, a white tail tip, white paws, light silver stripes on her back and bright green eyes," I answered her.

"I believe I saw her, on the other side of the river, poor thing looked exhausted and by the look in her eyes she had been through quite a lot, what happened to her?" Cassidy said with sympathetic eyes.

"Her mate said some bad things to her," I said with empathy flowing through me.

Cassidy let out a gasp of surprise and disgust at what Angelstep's mate had done.

"Oh the poor thing, I should have gone to her like I wanted to, I'm sorry," she said with shame.

"It is alright, can you show us the way she went?" I asked with an excited wag of my tail hoping we were finally getting somewhere.

"Yes I can, I trailed her for a bit before leaving her be, she seemed to want to be alone," she said leaping into the river.

I quickly jumped in after her and listened as two more splashes in the water alerted me to the fact that Andi and Sarah were following.

She exited the river and I followed closely behind her with Andi and Sarah right on my heels.

I shook the water from my fur before following her up the steep hill that had become very slippery with mud from the storm that was still going on. I caught the last bit of Angelstep's scent at the top of the hill before it broke off, but Cassidy kept walking beyond where the last bit of the missing she-wolf's scent.

She started running out of both of our territories.

"There are some lone wolves with families out here, I figured she wasn't going to do any harm on our territory and that she was just going back to her own family," Cassidy shouted back.

I stayed silent, but I sped up when she did.

My paws thundered on the ground beneath me, splashing me with mud every once in a while as I stepped into a mud puddle.

She slowed down a after a little while and finally came to a complete stop when the rain started to pour down harder onto us.

"I followed her up until here," she shouted over the roaring rain.

"Thank you Cassidy," I shouted in return.

"No problem Sissy, I hope you find her," she shouted nuzzling my neck fur in comfort before racing back to her territory.

"What now," Andi shouted over the rain.

"We search for her scent now," I yelled in return.

"How, the rain has washed away anything that could have been left of her scent by now?" Sarah shouted.

"We can't give up," I shouted as I brought my nose as close to the ground as I could without sticking it into the muddy ground and sniffed as deeply as I could.

I started moving searching for any hint that she was ever here. Finally, I caught a slight ting of the familiar scent.

"I've got it," I shouted over the rain.

"Well why are we just standing here, lead the way," Sarah called lifting her head from the ground.

I put my nose to the ground and determined which way it went once more before taking off in the direction. Every once in a while I would search for her scent to make sure that we were still going the right way when suddenly Andi grabbed the scruff of my neck and ripped me backward just as the ground beneath my paws crumbled and gave way beneath me.

"Thanks," I panted in fear as I lightly made my way to the edge of the cliff once more.

"No problem," Andi shouted over the rain.

I looked down to see an over flowing and rushing river.

"If she fell from here she couldn't have swam against the current and this is where the scent stops," I shouted in disappointment.

"So that's it, she's dead?" Andi shouted.

"Only one way to find out I," I shouted backing up in a straight line.

"What do you mean?" Andi said with a bit of worry in her voice.

I didn't answer, instead I charged toward the edge of the cliff and threw myself off of it.

I plunged into the icy running water with a large splash.

I fought against the water and swam up toward the surface. Finally, I broke the surface and gulped air into my abused lungs.

I was quickly forced back under the water by a wave, I was swept up by the current and sent head over tail as I drifted down the river.

I fought to find my way up to the surface of the rushing water.

Finally, I broke the surface of the rushing water once more, I gathered air into my burning lungs as I fought against the current, just as I am sure she would have done, finally it hit me, Angelstep wouldn't have wanted to fight, she would have wanted to die after the words that Ottersplash had said to her.

So I forced all of my muscles to go limp and relaxed my body, I allowed the water to forcibly shove, pull, push, and smash my body around as I went limp.

I felt the water enter my lungs and force me to choke, after a few moments, I was just drifting, floating in the small space between life and death, but just like Angelstep, I had people that influenced my decision on whether or not I chose to die. I had Cassidy, Andi, and Sarah. Angelstep would have had Handsomedevil, Silverfox, Duckfeathers, Oddpaw, Blazefur, Pupfur, and even if she didn't like it, she had Ottersplash.

Before I could deicide, I felt the sand beneath my side fur. I felt the rain pouring down on fur once more and I felt the waves of the rushing water lapping at my paws and belly fur.

Suddenly, I felt the water that had once filled my lungs surge forward and force its way out of my body. My body clenched and unclenched painfully as the water forced its way out of my lungs and out onto the sand.

The water poured out of my mouth in a never ending torrent.

"I am never going to do that again," I whispered to myself as I lay farther up the sand. I lay under a large green leaf that only sheltered the top part of my body and from the rain.

* * *

"Ziva, it is going to be okay," Tony said in a tone that made it hard for me to believe him.

"Yeah the way you say it makes me want to believe you that much more," I growled.

"Well what do you want me to say, that I feel bad for you, well I don't if I had been Abby I would have ran away too," he shouted at me.

"You think I don't know that," I shouted in return.

"I don't know if you regret what you said or if you are just saying that," he growled.

"I do regret it, believe me I do," I cried out in pain as I threw myself to the ground.

"My very center hurts for the pain I have caused her. I would rather catch on fire and stand still as it burns me then be scent to the no names for the rest of eternity rather than deal with this pain. I hurt so bad and if this is how bad I hurt, I can only imagine how bad my Abby hurts and then I remember that I caused this pain," I sobbed.

"I have hurt the one thing I love the most, I would gladly take her place if the ancestors would let me, I cannot take those horrible words back now, but I can spend forever trying to make it up to her," I sobbed.

"Yes you can and even if Abby says she forgives you, I will hold you to what you are saying now," he said with a determined face.

"It is a promise," I vowed.


	15. Unexpected News

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* * *

_"Yes you can and even if Abby says she forgives you, I will hold you to what you are saying now," he said with a determined face._

_"It is a promise," I vowed._

* * *

"I got another one over here," someone shouted causing my head to pound.

"Hey can you hear me?" the same voice whispered close to my ear.

I jumped up and got into a defensive position, growling and baring my teeth at the large male wolf with amber eyes and fur that had splotches of every shade of brown on it, one of his ears stood straight up while the other flopped over half-way.

"Calm down, we mean you know harm," he said with amused eyes.

"Your looking for your friend aren't you?" he said with a friendly smile.

"How did you know that?" I asked getting out of my defensive position, but keeping myself tense and aware of the other wolves around us.

"She showed up yesterday, a small black she-wolf, goes by the name of Angelstep?" He said with curiosity stirring in his bright amber eyes.

"Yes, that's her. You've seen her?" I asked with excitement.

"Yep, washed up here yesterday, we brought her back to our camp, I can take you to her if you would like," he said standing up and flicking his tail to let the others know that they were about to head back.

"Please," I answered standing up and waiting for him to lead us all back.

"Alright then, lets go," he said turning around and racing into a dense forest.

The wolves raced after him and I ran after all of them, the forest was far thicker than the one I was used to and moss seemed to cover every other rock and tree.

I didn't quite understand how they ran so easily as they darted between every tree and rock, they seemed to be faster than any wolf in my pack and I could only think of one wolf in the pack that could run as fast as these wolves. That wolf was Abby, these wolves had thick fur, bright eyes, and they were fast, Abby had every single one of these traits.

The wolves slowed down at two large bushes that parted, the path was hidden by some lichen that was growing up from the ground and it was wide enough to fit one wolf at a time.

As I entered their camp I was surprised to see how open and beautiful it was.

"Welcome," the male said surprising me out of my thoughts.

"Where am I?" I asked in wonder as I looked around, it was surrounded by large grey boulders that were covered in moss and other plants and to the side of the camp there was a wide, but shallow pond, it was clear and the sun glinted off of it so that it made the surface of the pond look like it was made of a million crystals.

"You are in our camp," he answered sitting down next to me with a smile.

"What camp, I don't think I have ever heard of this pack," I said in confusion.

"We are the Pack of Rushing Water," he said with pride.

"Not many packs hear of us, we are out of the way of most packs," he explained.

"I see, you said you had my pack mate?" I said returning to my mission.

"Ahh yes, lets see, oh there she is," he said pointing with his nose toward Angelstep, she was lounging by the pond and pups were playing all around her.

"Come lets go let your friend know that you are here," he said leading me over to them.

"Angelstep," I said capturing her attention.

"Mudstep? What are you doing here?" she asked with a look of surprise and confusion mixed together.

"Everyone is looking for you, now that I have found you, we can go back," I explained with a wag of my tail.

"About that, I am not sure I want to go back," she said looking down at her paws.

"What do you mean?" I asked lying down in front of her.

"I mean, that I don't think I want to go back, Ziva…" she trailed off.

"I know," I said placing my paw on her paw.

"We all know," I said soothingly.

"Then you know why I can't go back, Ziva doesn't want me anymore and I don't think I can face her everyday, knowing I am holding her back from getting a mate that she really wants or the life she wants," she said with tears in her eyes and I noticed that the male wolf had left.

"Ziva want's you back, you should see her Abby, she is so scared, she feels horrible," I said trying assure.

"She really want's me back?" she asked with hope in her tearful eyes.

"Yes," I said with confidence.

"I still don't know if I will be able to get back before the next few days," she said with a disappointed sigh.

I looked at her with a confused look, I studied her for a moment to see if she showed any signs of illness when I finally noticed it.

She wasn't lying flat on her stomach, she was lying on her side with her upper body lying flat.

"Your carrying pups? How? Who's are they?" I asked in rushed curiosity.

"Yes, the ancestors granted them or it to me, that is why my stomach has already grown this much, they wanted it to be known that I was carrying, the rest of the carrying will be at normal speed. They are her pups, I don't know if she still wants them or if those were just empty words," she said with a sad look.

"She will want them, she will want them because they are a mixture of both you and her, she would want them even if they were not her pups because they were your pups or pup," I said with confidence.

"Are you sure?" she asked without looking at me.

"As sure as I ever will be," I told her.

"Hello," a voice came causing us to both look up.

"Hello," I said to a large dark-grey she-wolf with darker stripes down her back, darker paw tips, and violet eyes.

"I am the leader of the Pack of Rushing water, my name is Ravenheart," she said with a friendly smile.

"My name is Mudstep, I am a normal from the Pack of Night, I came to retrieve my friend," I said looking up at her in awe, it was amazing how much she looked like Angelstep. She had the same happy look in her eyes and the same markings, just in different color.

"It is nice to meet you, I was wondering when someone would come looking for my daughter," she laughed.

"Your daughter," I said in surprise looking at Angelstep.

"Don't look at me, I am just as surprised as you are," Angelstep said in a defensive way.

"Yes, my daughter, what took you so long?" Ravenheart asked with amused eyes.

"Everyone has been looking for two days, that is how long she has been missing," I explained.

"Her mate wouldn't rest until a search party was sent out," I continued.

"Really?" Angelstep asked in disbelief.

"You should have seen her Angelstep, she rallied up the other wolves to stand up and say they wanted to go out and find you when the storm started, it was amazing, she would have fought the alpha in front of everybody if he said no," I said wagging my tail in excitement as I remembered how Ziva had caused everyone to gather around.

"That sounds like her," Angelstep said with an amused face.

"Your mate sounds wonderful now, my opinion of her may be a bit altered now," Ravenheart said.

"I told you she was amazing," Angelstep said with pride for her mate.

"Yes, well both of you should get some rest. I will send a party to escort you to the edge of our territory tomorrow," Ravenheart said getting up and trotting away.

"That's some mom you got there," I laughed causing her to laugh as well.

"Come let us get some rest, my mother is right, we have a long trip ahead of us, you are going to need a lot of rest to put up with me on this trip, I am ready to complain for the next few weeks, then the pups or pup will be born and then I can complain about never having any me time," she laughed as she went off to sleep in a nest in a small den that I guessed was the nursery.

* * *

"It is too hot to be doing this," Angelstep complained as we followed the male wolf over a small hill.

"I know Angelstep," I said automatically.

"Stop saying 'I know', and you can call me Abby now, I mean you jumped into a rushing river to find me," she snapped.

"What do you want me to say Abby? You can call me Sissy," I responded.

"I don't know," she huffed as she trotted back down the hill, her swollen stomach swinging slightly.

"I'm carrying pups or a pup, don't make me explain things," she growled as she walked along the edge of the rushing river.

"Careful, last thing we need is you falling in the river," I warned keeping my eye on her as we walked along.

"Whatever," she snapped.

"This is as far as I can take you," he said stopping at the edge of the Pack of Rising Stars territory.

"Thank you, we will be leaving now," I said dipping my head in thanks.

"Thank you," Abby said nodding to him as well before racing through the territory with me hard on her paws.

"Are you sure you should be running," I called to her as we ran.

"Do you want to get caught in the Pack of Rising Stars territory?" she called back.

"Point taken," I called as we ran.

Finally, we crossed onto our territory and she stopped running, she sat down for a moment, panting and huffing as she sat.

"Are you okay," I asked sniffing cautiously at her.

She nipped at me, she didn't bit me, it was just a warning.

"I am fine, I told you it was too hot for this," she growled.

"Just take you time," I said calmly.

"Stop acting like I can not take care of myself," she growled.

"Sorry," I mumbled.


	16. She Has Returned

**This one is once again written for my beta reader, I hope you feeling better StraightJacketxD I hope you are feeling better.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

_"Stop acting like I can not take care of myself," she growled._

_"Sorry," I mumbled._

* * *

After a few moments of sitting and waiting for Abby to regain her breath, the black she-wolf stood up and started walking once more.

"Come on, we've wasted enough time," she said as I walked beside her.

"Wait until everyone sees you, they will all be so happy," I said with an excited wag of my tail.

"Mmm… if you say so. Has alpha announced a new beta?" she asked without looking at me.

"Not while I was there, he might have while I was out searching for you," I answered.

"I see," she said with an expressionless face.

"When did you know you were carrying pups?" I asked trying to break the awkward silence.

"The night I ran away, it happened while I was running. My heart had been pounding and my ears were roaring, the thunder roared and it made me blind with fear, I ran over that cliff and fell into the river. I was ready to give up when a few of the ancestors appeared in front of me, they told me it was not my time to die and that I now had something to live for even if I didn't have Ziva, I woke up in the Pack of Rushing Water's nursery with a swollen belly and I just knew," she said, as she had spoke, her eyes glazed over as if she was watching it all happen again.

"Wow," I whispered.

"You can say that again," Abby said with a smile.

"One moment I am a normal she-wolf with a mate that has a sharp mouth, the next I am a she-wolf who is carrying her sharp mouthed mate's pups or pup," she chuckled.

"What are you going to name the pups or pup?" I asked with curiosity.

"I think I would like to see what they look like or what their personality is like before I name them for sure, but I do like the name Amelia," she said with a smile.

"That is a wonderful name for a little she-wolf," I said with an approving and friendly smile.

"Thank you, sometimes I love my mind," she said with an amused face.

"Only sometimes?" I asked as she started trotting with pride.

"Sometimes I wish I had never gotten my first vision, I would never have been a sight if I didn't get that stupid vision. Now being a sight has come between the wolf I love and myself," she said with a sad look as she stopped trotting.

"Well I don't wish that," I said to her.

She said nothing, but looked at me in confusion.

"You are the most talented sight I have ever heard of, when I was a pup, I would listen to the stories the elders would tell along with the other pups. They all said that Cherryblossom was a great sight, they would go back as far as they could and talk about sights, but every time they would come back to you and say that you were the most talented sight any pack had seen in a very long time," I said with wonder as I remembered the elders telling stories when I was younger.

"Really?" she asked with a look of curiosity.

"Yes, I can't tell you how many times an elder said that you were born to be a sight," I laughed as we stopped a bit away from the entrance of the camp.

Abby looked scared and uncertain, she looked through the bush at the two wolves that were standing guard.

"Are you ready?" I asked with comfort in my voice.

"As I will ever be," she sighed as she walked forward with her head held high and her belly slightly swaying as she walked.

"Welcome back Angelstep," one of the wolves said as they both dipped their heads in a greeting.

"Thank you," Abby said nodding her head in return.

Abby paused for a moment before pushing her way through the entrance with me right behind her.

As we entered the camp every wolf froze and turned their eyes to us.

Abby held her head high as she stood before every wolf, I walked to her side and looked at them all, silently daring them to say the wrong thing.

"Welcome back Angelstep," Brownfur said trotting up to us.

"Thank you alpha," she said with a confident voice.

"I assume you are returning, am I correct?" he asked with hope in his eyes.

"Yes alpha, this is my pack as well, I am returning to be a sight for my pack," she said with a confident voice.

"You are always welcome in this pack, you are our sight, one of the best we have ever had?" he said with a smile.

"Thank you alpha," Abby said walking past him, I walked beside her until we reached her den.

"We do not speak of where I was," she said to me before entering her den and not waiting for me to answer.

"Alright," I whispered even though I knew she couldn't hear me.

I looked around the clearing to see shocked wolves slowly return to what they were doing, finally my eyes landed on the wolf I had been searching for.

Ziva was staring back at me, but something in her gaze told me she didn't see me. Her eyes were full of pain, sorrow, and guilt as she stared through me.

Finally, she became unfrozen and she slowly started walking in my direction.

I walked in her way and as I passed her I slowed down a bit.

"Don't hurt her anymore than you already have," I growled quietly as I passed her.

Then I trotted off toward the normals den, I was tired and I needed rest.

* * *

"Abby?" I whispered as I got down as low as I could and started crawling forward.

Abby sat down with her back to me and stayed silent.

"Sweetheart?" I whined letting all of my guilt, sorrow, and pain come out in it.

Abby's ear twitched in my direction before returning to its normal position, but she still didn't move or say anything.

"Please Abby?" I whined.

"What Ziva! What do you want?" she shouted finally whipping around to face me.

I coward on the ground showing my belly and wagging my tail with my ears flat.

She stared down at me with pain and hurt in her eyes. As she stood there looking down at me, I caught site of her belly. I had noticed that it was swollen when she entered the camp, but I did not know if my mind had been playing tricks on me, now I knew what I saw was not a trick, it was real.

"Your carrying pups?" I asked with curiosity flicking my ears back to there normal position.

"Yes, I don't know why you would care," Abby growled stalking off to the back of her den.

I flattened my ears again at her comment and I crept forward once more.

"Abby, I am sorry for what I said to you, I did not mean it, I know that you can not believe that, but I am willing to spend the rest of my existence, even when I am an ancestor, trying to make it up to you," I whined hoping she would say something.

She turned her head a bit and looked at me without saying anything.

"I should not have said that being a sight was low or that being a sight's mate was low, I was wrong, every one knows the sight is really second in command, they can tell the packs future, it is a great deal of honor to be a sight, a pack could not exist without it's sight," I said creeping forward until I could press my nose into one of the light silver stripes on her back, which I did.

I breathed in her lovely scent as she let out a sad sigh. I started to groom her fur, loving how right it felt.

"Ziva?" she whispered with tears in her voice.

"Yes my love," I whispered looking up at her.

"I am tired," she whispered with tears in her eyes.

"I understand, I will go now, sleep well Abigail," I said as I got up and started to leave.

"Ziva?" she sobbed and I stopped and turned immediately.

"Yes Abigail," I answered.

"Where are you going?" she said looking at me with tearful eyes as she laid in our nest.

"I was leaving you to sleep, I guessed you would not want me here," I whispered to her.

"I want you sleeping where you belong, you sleep next to me, that's where you belong," she whispered as tears started to fall down her face.

I ran forward and started licking the tears away as they fell.

"Please do not cry my sweet," I begged as I settled beside her and continued to lick the tears away.

"I'm sorry, I am tired and I am hurt, I'm scared and I am really really tired," she sobbed.

"You said you were tired twice my love," I said with an amused face.

"I know, I was trying to get my point across," she sobbed.

"Point well taken then," I laughed.

"And about being sorry, you do not have to be, you are carrying pups and you have been through a lot my love," I whispered with a bit of sadness.

"Why are you upset?" she asked with curiosity sparkling in her bright green eyes.

"I am happy you are having pups, I just wish that they were mine," I said with shame, how could I be so horrible, I should be happy for Abby.

"They are yours," Abby said laying her head on my paws.

"What?" I said with shock and disbelief.

"You heard me right," Abby said with a yawn.

"Oh Abby, I love you so much," I whined with excitement.

"Yes, I love you as well, we will talk more in the morning, I have been on a long journey," she yawned.

"Alright my love," I said laying my had on her back and getting ready to get a full rest after two sleepless nights.

With that we slept the afternoon and night away.


	17. Sharing the Camp

**I am sorry I haven't updated in a long while, I had some stuff happen, then I felt like crap for a while, then something else happened and now I am feeling better. So here you go.**

**Please read and review.**

* * *

_"Alright my love," I said laying my head on her back and getting ready to get a full rest after two sleepless nights. _

_With that we slept the afternoon and night away._

* * *

I opened my mouth in a long yawn as I reentered the camp that hadn't yet started to stir with life, but I knew that it would start to stir very soon. Never before had I returned this late or early after a night spent with Cassidy.

I snuck quietly to the back of the normals den and shuffled around a bit before flopping down into my nest beside Andi and Sarah. I felt a ping of jealously hit me as I thought about how lucky they were, they were able to get a good nights sleep, while everyday I only got a few good moments of sleep. I didn't regret it though, I would trade all of the moments of sleep for a night with Cassidy.

I felt my eyes flutter shut and I allowed myself to slip into the dark.

* * *

"Sissy, come on Sissy, its time to get up," Sarah said nudging me with her paw.

"No," I groaned as I turned away from her and covered my eyes with my paws.

"Come on, you need to get up," she said as she prodded me again.

"Fine," I growled standing up with a yawn and shaking the small ferns and pieces of grass from my pelt.

I walked out of the den and looked around the camp as I tried to blink the sleep out of my eyes.

At the far side of the camp Abby and Ottersplash were sunning themselves on the warm ground. It was a rare sight to see the two of them together without Abby constantly snapping at Ottersplash. For the past moon cycle Abby had been very angry and she was taking it out on her pour mate every chance she got. Ottersplash simply took it, she still felt bad for what she had said to her mate and she was willing to take any abuse her mate would do to her if it meant that she got to be anywhere near her.

I felt bad for the dark brown she-wolf, but that was part of dealing with a pregnant mate.

"Mudstep," a voice called and I turned to see Shadowfur trotting toward me.

"Greetings Shadowfur," I said nodding my head slightly.

"Greetings," she said as she sat in front of me.

"Is there something I can do for you?" I asked as I tilted my head slightly to the side.

"I was wondering if you would like to go hunting with me?" she said as her yellow eyes looked down at her dark paws that were shuffling in the dirt.

"Sure," I said with a friendly tone.

For the past few days I had noticed Shadowfur's piercing yellow gaze on me, she had also acted very strange anytime I had been around, and here was my chance to figure out why.

"Great! I mean that's good, we should go now," she said as she nervously lead us out of the camp.

* * *

"That feels nice," Abby sighed as I groomed her shoulder fur.

"I am glad it does," I said in a content voice as I continued to groom the fur in front of me.

It was an unusually warm day and the ground felt warm underneath our bodies as the sun shined down on our dark pelts.

I watched as Abby's whole body rose and fell with each breath she took, her belly had become more swollen lately and Ducky had said that it could be any day now that she would have the pups.

A warning bark rang through the camp suddenly causing me to look over my shoulder and watch as Beetleclaw and McGee escorted Goldenstar the alpha of the Pack of Rising Stars and a few of his normals into the middle of the camp.

Abby stood up and I stood as well waiting for her next move so I could follow.

"Goldenstar, why is it that you have been found on my territory?" Brownfur said trotting up to the large golden wolf.

"I have come to ask for your help," Goldenstar said with confidence.

"What is it that you need help with?" Brownfur said calmly.

Suddenly two wolves ran through the entrance to stand still in shock and confusion, it was Mudstep and Shadowfur.

_"I wonder why Mudstep was out with her, Shadowfur has a sharp tongue that no one is able to escape and Mudstep doesn't usually hang around with anyone else besides Hyperdemon and Quickthinking,"_ I thought before returning my attention to the two alphas.

"The pack from down the river, the Pack of Rushing Water, has started to cause trouble, they started with claiming that they deserved some of our territory. When we refused they started attacking our parties, when that didn't work they started attacking our camp, now we are homeless. They have driven us from our territory," he said with shame in his voice and on his face.

"What am I supposed to do about this and where is the rest of your pack?" Brownfur asked accusingly.

"My pack is at the edge of your territory, and I was hoping that you would help us in battle and that until the battle is one, we could share your camp and territory," Goldenstar said with a dangerous edge in his voice.

"The all might Pack of Rising Stars can't fight off one measly pack. Last time I knew, the Pack of Rushing Water was a small and weak pack," Brownfur scoffed.

"They have grown in both numbers and strength, these wolves are now much larger and stronger and there are a lot more of them," Goldenstar growled.

"There is no reason to start a new battle," Abby said calmly as she and I padded up to the alphas.

Both of them just looked at her for a few moments before Brownfur let out a long sigh.

"My sight is right, you have given your reason and your request and I find them both reasonable, so yes, we will help you fight, if any pack can drive the Pack of Rising Stars out of their territory, then clearly the Pack of Rushing Water is a large threat," he said calmly.

"Thank you Brownfur from all of my pack," Goldenstar said bowing his head in gratitude.

With that Brownfur sent some other wolves to retrieve the rest of the pack while Abby turned and started padding toward her den and I followed closely behind.

"What are you doing?" I asked with curiosity.

"Some of these wolves are bound to be hurt after being driven out, Ducky and Palmer will need all the help they can get," she said calmly.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" I asked hopefully as we entered her den and she sat down in front of some herbs.

"Yes, go to the back of the den, get some long ferns," she said without looking up as she started to put the herbs in what seemed like random order.

"Alright," I said with a nod as I ran to the back of her den and started to pull the ferns away from the small pool of water that was farther back than her nest.

I ran back to her when I couldn't carry anymore.

"Good, now set them down and go find something else to do," she said dismissively as she started to tie the ferns together.

"What?" I said in shock hoping that I had misheard her.

"Ziva, you are crowding me and you are distracting me, go find something else to do besides bug me," she said in frustration.

"Alright," I said letting my tail fall and my ears droop as I started to walk out of the den.

I heard her let out a sigh as I neared the entrance.

"Ziva," she called causing me to stop and turn slightly as I looked back at her.

"I do need something actually," she said finally looking up at me with kind green eyes.

"What do you need my love?" I asked wagging my tail and straightening my ears.

"I need you to go and find me a beetle, find it, don't kill it and bring it back to me alive," she said looking down at her herbs again.

"A beetle?" I asked in confusion.

"Yes, a live beetle," she said still doing things with the herbs.

"Okay," I said running out of the den.

* * *

"Do you smell that?" Shadowfur asked as she raised her nose into the air.

I followed her example and took a sniff in the air. The scent was one that didn't belong in our territory.

"It is the Pack of Rising Stars," I said with a confused look at her.

"Yes it is, what are they doing so far into our territory," Shadowfur said stepping closer to me so that our fur brushed.

"I don't know, lets go find out," I said running toward the scent.

She quickly caught up to me and got close enough so that her fur was brushing mine as we ran. It made me feel uncomfortable, but I could see no harm in her actions. We ran into the camp to see Goldenstar, Cassidy, and a few other wolves in our camp.

* * *

"Cassidy," I whispered as I trotted up to her with Shadowfur following me.

"You two know each other?" Shadowfur said in a disgusted voice.

"Yes, Cassidy is a close friend of mine," I lied without looking back at Shadowfur.

"Hello Sissy," Cassidy said nuzzling my cheek slightly in greeting.

I heard Shadowfur let out a low warning growl, that I didn't quite understand, but we ignored it.

"Who is your friend?" Cassidy asked.

"This is Shadowfur, Shadowfur this is Riverheart," I said without taking my eyes off Cassidy.

"Yeah sure whatever, listen come find me when you have a chance okay?" Shadowfur said as she stroked my fur with her tail before trotting off.

* * *

"I returned to the camp and ran in to see both the Pack of Rising Stars wolves and my own pack's wolves mingled and mixed all around.

I quickly made my way to Abby's den, but she wasn't there. I ran to Ducky and Palmer's den to find her tending to a mother who had pups jumping around her.

"Ziva, there you are, could you give the beetle to the pups, they need something to play with," Abby said without looking up.

I quietly walked over to the pups and placed the beetle on the ground, the pups looked up at me in awe and amazement as I set the beetle down and they waited until I walked away to start playing with it.

"So that is what the beetle was for?" I asked sitting beside my mate.

"Yes, I knew the pups of there pack would need something to distract them while there parents were being taken care off," Abby said without looking up.

"Thank you my dear, I hope they will not be getting under any one's paws," the she-wolf said to me.

"It is no problem," I assured her.

"I see you are expecting yourself," she said to Abby.

"Yes I am," Abby laughed.

"Scared yet," the mother asked amusingly.

"A little," Abby said truthfully and I trotted off to start playing with the pups.

"You will be a great mother, you are very caring and attentive and you knew exactly what to do to distract my pups," she said with a laugh.

"Well thank you," Abby said with a pleased smile.

The pups were currently pretending to attack me and I pretended to be forced down onto the ground.

"Oh no, I am powerless, please, have mercy," I mock begged as I rolled onto my back.

"We do not show mercy to dogs, we are wolves," growled the pup with blue eyes and bright orange fur.

"Oh no, please," I begged as they jumped back onto me.

"Pups leave her be, she was kind enough to bring you a beetle, play with that instead of terrorizing her," their mother called.

"Oh it is fine, I started it," I laughed sitting up.

"Thank you for keeping them busy," the she-wolf said with a look of gratitude.


	18. It Is Time

**Sorry, I haven't updated for a little bit, I recently went through a loss of a close friend, I have been trying to get through it and I have gotten a bit better lately.**

**Please read and review**

* * *

_"Oh it is fine, I started it," I laughed sitting up._

_"Thank you for keeping them busy," the she-wolf said with a look of gratitude._

* * *

I opened my eyes due to the feeling of Abby's tongue softly stroking my ears.

"Abby?" I whispered as I looked past her to see that it was still night.

Abby hummed to let me know that she had heard me.

"Why are you up so late my love?" I asked moving my head out of her reach before licking at her jaw.

"I couldn't sleep," she explained as she buried her face in my neck fur.

"What is wrong, my sweet?" I asked as I nuzzled her fur.

"The pups won't stop moving," she huffed into my fur.

I leaned my head down next to her swollen stomach.

"Be calm my darlings, your mommy needs her rest," I whispered too quietly for Abby to hear.

A few moments later I felt Abby's head become much heavier as it now rested on my back. I laid my head down on my paws next to my dear mate's swollen belly and closed my eyes.

* * *

I woke to the morning light and a wonderfully sweet scent. I buried my nose deeper into Cassidy's blue-grey fur and let out a content sigh without opening my eyes.

I felt the she-wolf shift and let out an equally content sigh.

I opened my eyes and looked down with great affection at the beautiful she-wolf next to me.

For the past two days the Pack of Rising Stars had stayed with us, the normal's den and the nursery was packed full of wolves from both camps.

Luckily I was able to save a spot for Cassidy, a spot right next to mine, unfortunately, we were no where near alone, Shadowfur had forced her way to my side, opposite of Cassidy.

Not only did I have the great pleasure of being able to spend more time with Cassidy, but I also had the great annoyance of having Shadowfur stick herself to my side at all times. The dark she-wolf had not left me alone since Cassidy showed up, she had constantly been trying to curl her tail around mine, groom me, lick my ears, and she kept trying to get me alone. I didn't have the heart to tell her to knock her shit off.

I looked toward the front of the den where the morning light had already started to shine.

"Good morning Mudstep," Shadowfur said as she pressed the top of her head against the under of my snout.

"Good morning Shadowfur," I said pulling my head away.

Shadowfur's eyes had a glimmer of disappointment and sadness, it was quickly replaced with a look of pure determination.

"Would you like to go hunting with me before everyone wakes up?" she asked as she nuzzled my neck fur.

"Sure," I sighed causing her to wag her tail and her eyes shined with happiness.

"You go on and wait for me outside the camp, I need just a few more moments of rest," I whispered as I pretended to try and fall back to sleep.

"Alright, don't be to long," she said in a teasing voice as she got up and purposely tickled my nose with her tail as she walked away.

I waited until I was sure she was gone before I turned to Cassidy.

"Cassidy," I whispered softly into her ear.

She groaned in return.

"I have to go out for a bit, but I will be back soon," I whispered to her.

She opened her ice blue eyes to look at me with sleep in her eyes.

"I will miss you," she said as she leaned up and nuzzled my snout with her own.

"I will miss you too," I whispered before forcing myself up.

* * *

"Ziva, Ziva wake up," I heard a male voice say causing me to jump up and act as if I was more awake then I actually was.

"Tony," I said with a sigh of relief as I realized who it was.

My relief was cut short when I quickly realized that Abby was not in the lying next to me. I quickly turned in a circle looking for any sign or trace of my mate.

"She is fine, but she wants you," he said quickly.

"Is something wrong, something has to be wrong or she would have come to me herself, what has happened?" I asked him with urgency and panic in my voice.

"She's in the nursery, she had gone out to talk to Ducky, she didn't want to wake you, but she started to get pains, Ducky says she is going to have pups soon," he said quickly as he turned and ran out of the den.

I quickly outran him on the way to the nursery and pushed my way past all of the mothers and pups that were now outside of the nursery.

"Abby!" I cried as I pushed myself all the way into the nursery.

"Ziva," she panted in return.

I almost cried at the sight I saw her in.

Pain was evident in on her face, in her eyes, and in every quiver of her body. Her tail was wrapped tightly around herself and she looked at me with eyes that begged for me to try and take the pain away.

I let out a whine and slowly crept toward her before slowly and cautiously wrapping myself around her. I had heard stories of she-wolves attacking their mates while they were birthing or shortly after they had given birth to their pups, they attacked them because for whatever reason a part of their brain seemed to shut off and what was left of their brain told them that their mate was a danger, luckily Abby only reacted by pressing herself closer to me and wrapping her tail tightly around mine.

She lifted her head and pressed her nose against my muzzle.

"It hurts, Ziva," she panted.

The pain in her voice brought tears to my eyes.

"I know my love, but it will all be over soon," I cooed as I licked at her face and ears, trying in anyway to make her feel more comfortable.

"She is ready now, Palmer go get some moss with water in it and bring it back, she is going to need it," Ducky ordered.

Palmer ran out of the nursery and off to get what Ducky had asked for.

"Are you ready my dear?" Ducky asked as he moved around to position himself.

"No, but lets do this anyways," she said as she squeezed her eyes shut.

I pressed my face into her neck fur and started whispering soothing things to her, I continued to groom her face and ears as well.

Suddenly my heart stopped for a moment when a loud and horrified screech filled the air followed by growls and barks of both anger and pain.


	19. Lost and New Life

**Sorry if there are a lot of mistakes, I have been having technical difficulties that I won't be able to fix for a little while.**

**This is the last chapter to Dirty Paws, but there will most definitely be a sequel to Dirty Paws.**

**Please read and review**

* * *

_I pressed my face into her neck fur and started whispering soothing things to her, I continued to groom her face and ears as well._

_Suddenly my heart stopped for a moment when a loud and horrified screech filled the air followed by growls and barks of both anger and pain._

* * *

Everything had gone so wrong so quickly, just a few moments ago, we were all excited about the news that Abby's pups or pup was going to arrive very soon, then within a few moments of her mate joining her in the nursery, the whole camp turned into ciaos as unfamiliar wolves filled the camp and started attacking out wolves.

I had been standing there watching as wolves were attacked and torn at, I had stood there in shock, it didn't register in my mind how things could have gone so horribly wrong so quickly.

Finally, I shook my head as I gathered my thoughts. I looked around as I tried to locate Cassidy, I saw her battling with a large male wolf with mottled brown fur.

I was about to run over and join her in battle when a sharp yelp caused me to turn my head.

Andi was being cornered by two large wolves she had a deep cut above her eye and her fur was matted and dirtied by both blood and dirt.

I jumped over one of the large wolves and turned to face them so that I could fight right by my best friend's side.

"I've got your back," I growled to her.

"And I've got yours," she growled in return.

With that we both launched forward as we fought side by side just like we used to do.

Finally, the two wolves ran off, yelping in pain as they left out camp.

"Yes," I cheered as Andi and I bounced a bit with celebration of our win.

Our celebration was cut short when we were brought back to reality by the battle going on around us. I nodded to her and she nodded back before we headed into separate ways into battle.

* * *

"What was that?" Abby asked through the pain with a worried expression.

"Nothing you need to worry about my dear, you just concentrate on bringing our beautiful pups or pup into the world," I whispered to her.

"Ziva is right my dear, any worry or added stress could complicate things for both you and the pups or pup," Ducky said as he sat near Abby's tail.

Suddenly a large wolf burst into the nursery through the entrance, he looked at us and growled.

I made no hesitation when I launched myself over Abby and at this wolf.

I fought harder than I ever had before, I would not let him hurt my family.

I ripped at his fur and ears, tearing out chunks of fur as I did so. I latched my teeth onto his ear and I tore away from him, making a large nick in his left ear, I quickly latched my teeth onto his shoulder and tore once more tearing away both fur and skin.

He roared and swiped a large paw at me. I ducked just in time and swiped at him myself, my paw hit him square in the face and one of my claws slid across his eyes causing blood to squirt out, he then turned and ran yelping as he did.

It was then I realized that the pups and mother's were out there in the battle, they had left to give Abby room.

"Ziva!" Abby called capturing my attention.

"Yes, my dear," I said as I crouched besides her.

"Go, help them, I know that you want to, just make sure you come back alive as well," she said with a kind smile through pain and fear filled eyes.

"I love you, I promise I will come back," I said with a lick to her ear as I ran into battle with three things on my mind, one get the pups safe, two get the mother's to safety, three pray to whoever would listen that Abby and our pups or pup would be safe.

I quickly spotted a mother and two of her pups pressed against a large boulder as they watched in horror as Gibbs attacked a wolf that had been charging toward them.

"Hurry, this way," I said as I picked up the smallest pup and headed toward the alpha's den.

The mother picked up the second pup and followed me. I set the pup down in the den and waited until the mother joined her pup before quickly spotting a loan pup in the middle of the camp, he was turning in circles with fear in his eyes. He must have been separated from his family in the battle.

I leaped down from the leader's den and charged for the pup, I scooped him up and leapt away just as two battling wolves fell in that exact spot.

I turned back towards the leader's den and started running towards it just as I heard a painful howl from the nursery, I stopped and looked toward the nursery with fear, but I was quickly bowled over by a large wolf, the small pup slid over the grown as I lost my grip on his scruff.

I didn't try to fight, I ran for the pup and finally found a way to the leader's den, where I set the pup down. I found that there were more mothers and pups then when I was last up here, some other wolves must have seen what I was doing and decided to help.

"Carter," a female wolf screeched as she ran to the pup that was still at my feet.

She covered him with licks and sniffs.

"Thank you so much," she said before picking the pup up and walking away with the pup.

Suddenly a large morning howl filled the air and I turned to look down at the battle.

* * *

I once again caught sight of Cassidy, she was fighting with a black and white she-wolf. I ran forward to fight with her when I was caught off guard by a large male wolf with mottled brown fur.

Blood was dripping into his eyes that were filled with anger.

I clawed and ripped at his fur until I was finally able to push him off of me. I stood up and captured Cassidy in my sight just in time to see a large white wolf latch his teeth around her neck, he then curled his neck and quickly uncurled it, causing her body to go flying and skid across the ground a piece of her throat missing as she hit the ground, I watched in horror as blood followed her body and started to pool around her quickly and in large amounts.

I felt as if my world came crashing down around me as I saw her stomach fall for the last time as her last breath left her body.

I took a deep breath as I felt nothing, but pain fill my body, mind, and heart, I raised my head and let out my pain and horror in one loud mourning howl that rang throughout the woods causing the battle to stop and everyone to stare.

* * *

The wolves quickly left when, their leader told them to retreat. None of us seemed to be able to move as they did so, all we could do was watch as Mudstep slowly and heavily walked to the dead she-wolf's body before she laid down next to her body and pressed her nose into her now dirty and stained fur.

Both the Pack of Rising Stars and the Pack of Night lifted their heads to let out one long mourning howl.

* * *

Those who knew Riverheart where staying with her until the morning, they would lie beside her as they shared stories and thoughts of the lost she-wolf, I had something different on my mind though. I quickly ran to the nursery, excitement, worry, love, and fear all filling my heart at once.

I walked in the nursery to see Abby lying down with her tail wrapped lovingly and protectively around three small bundles of fur.

Ducky sat in front of her with his tail neatly tucked around his paws and joy on his face.

Abby looked up at me as I stood in the same spot.

"Come closer my love, meet our children," she said with a kind and loving smile.

I slowly stepped closer as pride and joy filled me from the tip of my tail to the tip of my ears.

I sat before her and waited as she moved her tail away.

"They are beautiful, my love," I said with pride as I study each of them closely.

One was a small brown female with black paw tips, black ear tips, and a curled tail that had a black tip, she looked around in wonder with dark brown eyes.

The second pup was a large male pup with white fur, a light brown skinny stripe that started at the middle of his light sea green eyes and ended at the tip of his tail.

The third was a large female, she had light grey fur, black stripes all down her back, black paws, a black tail tip, and bright red eyes.

"Her eyes?" I whispered in wonder as I stroked the pup's back lightly with my tail.

"I know, I have heard of wolves that would get red eyes, but I never saw one, she is one of few, isn't that great?" she asked with a smile, but I could tell she was worried that I would be upset.

"Yes, my love. They all are one of a kind, they are all beautiful, what shall we name them?" I asked as I settled down behind her and looked down at our pups with pride along with her.

"Well I was thinking that for the brown one, we could call her Amelia?" she asked looking up at me.

"I think it's a wonderful name for her," I said approvingly to her.

"What about the male?" I asked her, I knew I would like whatever she chose.

"I was thinking long and hard, I wanted his name to be one that showed that he would be brave, strong and loyal to his pack, when I finally thought of it," she said as she looked down at the pups with a thoughtful face.

"What is the name you have thought of?" I asked with restlessness.

"I thought we could name him Ari, after your brother?" she said as she looked down at the pups.

I licked her cheek and looked back down at our new family.

"I think that's a wonderful idea, thank you, my love," I said to her, "And the last one?" I asked her as I gently laid my tail on the pup quickly, before pulling it back.

"I thought that you could name her sense I have chosen for the other two," she said without looking away from our pups.

I thought for a few moments as I studied how the small pup looked, how she moved, and how she acted.

"How about Naomi?" I asked without taking my eyes off of the pup.

"That's perfect," Abby whispered as she pressed the top of her head against my cheek.

* * *

"Sissy?" I heard Andi call, but I made no movement to show that I had heard her. I hadn't moved for three days, three days ago Cassidy had been killed.

"Sissy, Abby and Otterspash's pups are being given their warrior names today, come out and join the pack, then you can come back and lie down again," Andi whispered as she forced me to my feet, she supported me, just in case I would collapse, to the front of the normal's den where we sat as both packs gathered round for the announcement.

"Gather around Pack of Night and Pack of Rising Stars, today we gather together to take part in one of the greatest ceremonies in any pack, one that a pack could not live without nor any pack wolf. Today we give warrior names to three new pups that were born to Angelstep and Ottersplash, but first I must also change a name," Brownfur called out shocking both packs.

"Ottersplash, I have seen that I gave you the wrong name long ago and now I know what your name was meant to be, during the battle, you went out of your way to save both pups and mothers who were caught in a battle they didn't belong in, you showed great bravery when you didn't fight, instead you tried for the pup's and mother's safety first. For this reason I am changing you name to one that fits you much better than the one you have now, from this moment and day forward you will no longer be known as Ottersplash, you will instead be known as Braveheart," he announced loudly, all of the pack chanted her name before Brownfur gave the signal for everyone to become quiet again.

"Now, to name the pups, for Amelia, your warrior name shall be Softfur, Ari your warrior name shall be Snowheart, and now, last, but most certainly not least, Naomi, your warrior name I have thought about quite a bit, it took me a while to figure out one that would fit you so that I did not make the same mistake as I did with you mother, your warrior name shall be Spiderclaw," he announced and once again the pack chanted the three new names.

I quickly turned back and went to my nest where I lied down and stared straight ahead with a blank stare once more.

I didn't expect AndI to come and crouch down beside me.

"I promise Sissy, I will get even with that wolf who did this to you, I promise," she said before she left the den once more and I knew I could hold her to that promise.


End file.
